SAINT JOHN -- Deer have been a problem in many neighbourhoods around Saint John, and now one woman has had a run-in with a buck in her own backyard that she'll never forget.

She's feeling lucky to be alive, and credits her dog for saving her life.

On Tuesday morning, Trinda Short took the family dog, Tyson, out to her backyard.

"We had our heads down coming down the stairs as usual, and we lifted our heads, and there was a deer right there beside us," Short said. "I had my dog on the leash, but he backed out of it, because the deer instantly charged at me and hit my face, got my elbows, got my legs."

She says the deer was clearly an eight-point buck .

At one point, Short describes being pinned down by the animal.

"I weigh about 123 pounds, and when it was coming at me -- I was raised in a hunter family, so I just knew what it was going to do -- I grabbed the horns," Short said. "It picked me up and had me off my feet. It tore my clothes right off me."

She says Tyson was nipping at the deer, biting its legs and pulling it away from her enough that she was able to call police.

"It had my headphones wrapped around its antlers," Short said. "It was focused on me."

When the officer got there, the deer had Tyson pinned down.

"Unfortunately, the deer had to be put down," said Jim Hennessy, a spokesman for the Saint John Police Force.

Hennessy said there wasn't a choice.

"I guess it serves as a solid reminder that if you are out walking your pet, you have to be aware of your surroundings," Hennessy said.

New Brunswick's Department of Natural Resources says "deer breeding season" is approaching so buck deer may be more aggressive.

In a statement, the department said: "As the deer breeding season approaches, buck deer may become more aggressive in protecting their territory or food sources and lose their wariness of people. Although deer may live in urban or suburban areas, deer are still wild animals and should be treated with caution. Buck deer can be unpredictable and dangerous, especially towards pets which may be viewed as a threat. People encountering deer are encouraged to keep their distances and control their pets. Do not approach deer or allow pets to run near deer."

The department also says, if you see an aggressive deer in your neighbourhood, you should contact the nearest Natural Resources office.

Short has bruises and a black eye and Tyson has a gash where an antler punctured his skin.

He's a pit-bull who was supposed to be put down himself three years ago, before Short adopted him.

"I rescued him, but I think he's rescued me now," Short said.