Ohio Woman Jodi Proger Mauled to Death by Deer She Was Caring For After Animal Escaped Enclosure [PHOTOS]

An Ohio grandmother, Jodi Proger, 64, was killed after being mauled by a deer she had been rescuing and caring for, authorities confirmed.

Proger was attacked on November 15 at her five-acre property in Stewartsville, Ohio, after the male deer escaped its enclosure and became violently aggressive, according to Belmont County Sheriff James Zusack. Proger had been rehabilitating the deer inside a pen on her property when the animal suddenly turned on her.

Family members called for help after discovering the attack. Proger’s son-in-law attempted to shoot the deer to stop it from continuing its assault on her, but deputies who arrived around 11 p.m. ultimately had to put the deer down in order to reach her safely.

“Family members attempted to intervene and dispatch the animal… however, the animal was ultimately dispatched by responding deputies to ensure scene safety,” the sheriff’s office said. “Tragically, Ms. Proger succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Ohio Woman Jodi Proger Mauled to Death by Deer She Was Caring For After Animal Escaped Enclosure

Authorities said the attack happened after the deer managed to breach its enclosure. The animal was one of many deer Proger had rescued and rehabilitated over the past 12 years.

Her daughter, Jennifer Bryan, wrote in a Facebook tribute that her mother fully understood the risks but was passionate about giving injured and orphaned deer a chance at survival.

“My mother knew the dangers of owning deer… she enjoyed every minute of loving and nurturing these animals,” Bryan said.

Proger had legally obtained all required wildlife permits in Ohio. Her rehabilitation work began in 2013 after she rescued the orphaned fawn of a deer struck by a car — a fawn she later named “Wheezer.” After state officials attempted to seize the deer following a complaint, Proger fought successfully to keep the animal and expanded her efforts to rehabilitate others.

Proger is survived by her husband, daughter, and three grandchildren. The family is asking for donations to local animal shelters in her honor.