An 81-year-old Adelaide Hills man has been fined $6,300 after failing to comply with an order to permanently tag the deer kept on his property. The man pleaded guilty to one count under the Landscape South Australia Act and was also ordered to tag all deer over 12 months old by November 30, according to ABC News Australia.
The man kept between 30 and 40 deer, which he regarded as pets. South Australian law requires domestic deer older than 12 months to carry a permanent ear tag with an identification number linked to the keeper’s property. The animals must also be tagged before being moved elsewhere.
The Environment, Development and Resources Court of South Australia heard that the owner had made repeated attempts to tag the animals, including one effort after they had shed their antlers. Assistance was also sought from someone associated with Monarto Zoo to tranquillise the deer. The court was told the owner and one of his sons were injured during attempts to handle them.
A Landscape Officer identified the untagged deer in April 2022 and issued an order requiring the tagging to be completed by the end of August that year. The owner received several extensions, but the order remained outstanding. Facilities used to handle the deer had been damaged in a bushfire and had not been restored to their previous condition.
Senior Judge Michael Durrant said the circumstances did not indicate a deliberate refusal to cooperate or a lack of effort. However, he said the practical difficulties did not remove the man’s obligation to comply with the order. The judge noted the owner’s age, poor health, limited financial means, lack of previous offending and cooperation with authorities when setting the penalty.
Judge Durrant said the tagging system helped authorities manage disease risks, biodiversity impacts, habitat degradation, wildfire management and conservation planning. The offence carries a maximum penalty of $25,000; the $6,300 fine included a reduction for the guilty plea.