Dillie the deer is a family pet with a difference. She acts just like a domesticated dog, including walking up the stairs and sleeping on her owner’s bed.
Her owner is vet Melanie Butera from Ohio. 'We took a call from a local farmer at 3am one wintry night,' said Melanie, 48. 'Dillie's mother was not taking to her and he asked if we wanted to try to nurse her back to health.
'We put her on an IV drip because she weighed four pounds and got her back up and running after around two weeks.
'We then realised that she couldn't go back to the farm and live with the other deer and she couldn't live with our horses because they scared her too much.'
She often sleeps in their
bed with her best friend, dog Lady.
'I suppose it was quite a cute get together, said Melanie. 'Me, my husband, Dillie and Lady all sharing the same bed.
'My husband Steve always liked the way that Dillie would warm his feet up when she lied on them.'