People have been urged not to take selfies with wild deer as the practice has become a trend over recent years.
Spokesperson for the DSPCA Gillian Bird said people should not encourage wild animals to approach them.
People often use food to encourage the deer to approach them, she said, which is not a good idea, particularly as many people feed the animals items such as crisps.
Ms Bird said deer should not associate humans with food nor believe humans are something they should approach.
For the animals' welfare, she said, they should stay as wild as possible.
She also urged dog owners to keep their pets on a short lead if they are in an area with deer.
Ms Bird said dogs could cause deer to run in front of cars, injuring themselves and motorists.
She explained that it is rutting season, which means the male deer are vying for mating rights with the female herds.
This, she said, means there is a bit of tension among the herds and people risk being injured as stags who have full antlers join herds and do battle with other stags at this time of year.
Spotted some wild deer in Dublin's Phoenix Park yesterday. They were a huge hit with the tourists. So beautiful to see them up close. @phoenixparkopw @Failte_Ireland #Ireland #Dublin #wildlifephotography pic.twitter.com/77v7jfrA8c
— Colm Hand (@ColmHand) August 7, 2019
