I really need advice

[Highway61]

I hope you don't think this is silly or dumb. But I have been "friends" with this deer that comes around for the past 3 years. All year long she comes to my front door for apples and goodies and every spring she has an offspring in the back of our house in the woods. We see her almost every single day. Well I posted last week about her giving birth. (Photo)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5775663

The baby will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. I went for a procedure at the hospital this morning at 7 a.m. When I got home she was in the front yard dying (obviously hit by a car). I called the police and they said there was nothing that could be done. I gave her hugs and went in the house and the police shot her. They "dragged" her to the front yard by my driveway near the road and left her there till animal control comes and picks her up in a day or two! (I won't even go there with those guys)I am so beside myself. I hope I did the right thing and I am sick inside as there is her baby out there and I don't know where to begin to look ...the woods are really thick.
Will other deer in the herd she hangs with come and adopt the baby or will that die as well? I have called around and basically no one gives a shit as it is "only a deer".
I am typing this through tears as I have no answers as what to do next.
I am sick about this and even sicker that this baby is going to die as well. Anyone have any knowledge about this sort of thing? I would be so grateful for any advice...thanks

[suninvited]

1. What a heart breaking story

you might need to find that baby, if you can, and call your local animal wildlife rescue for advice.

I dont know if another doe would adopt an orphan baby or not.

[Patiod]

2. No advice, just sympatthy

Must be so painful. Hope someone has a good idea.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. You might consider contacting your state Game & Fish Commission.

They may have some ideas. If you could find the baby, I'm sure they would help find someone to foster it. I doubt that another deer would adopt her, at least not in the wild.

[mainegreen]

5. Agree. If you can get the baby, the department of wildlife will find a way to foster it.

[Highway61]

4. Thank you both

I am so sad/sick. I am worried about predators ...I tried looking for animal rescue etc....none around here.

[femmocrat]

6. . . .

:cry: That breaks my heart.


Maybe the fawn will come for food since it associates your yard with food. If you can catch it, you can bottle-feed it. Call a vet for the right formula. (You would need an enclosure, too.)

There are people who do keep pet deer... If there are any nearby, they might be able to foster it with a nursing mother. Do you have a farm/feed store nearby? They might know who comes in to buy corn and salt blocks for the deer.

Good luck. :hug:

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Call any wildlife rescue place in the state. They may know if someone operates in your area.

They should know which department in government would help if there's no private group.

[Kali]

8. 2 weeks needs bottle

It would be very rare for another mother to take on an orphan. Don't know the regs where you are but it may be illegal to bottle raise deer - however it is easy. Feed store will have goat milk replacer and bottles (get sheep/goat nipple)

Tame deer - especially bucks - can become very aggressive and dangerous when they are grown.

As above - check with state wildlife agency - they will know of regs and possible rehabilitators in your area.

edit: goat milk replacer and this link http://ezinearticles.com/?Raising-Deer---How-to-Bottle-Feed-a-Whitetail-Deer-Fawn&id=657030

[Midlodemocrat]

9. What a heartbreaking story. You are such a good person.

:hug:

[NJmaverick]

10. I can't help you, sorry. I do feel for you though and hope everything turns out OK

:hug:

[Captain Hilts]

11. Good for you for caring. I would have done the same. nt

[Haole Girl]

12. All I can say is...

please let nature take its course. Please, please, please do not feed wild animals.

[redwitch]

16. Yuck.

"let nature take it's course"

Kind of heartless, doncha think?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. It's a baby deer, not a bear

[Kali]

31. I presume you mean feeding the mother?

I feel the same. Nothing wrong with trying to help the orphan, though.

[applegrove]

13. Call the local zoo/animal sanctuary. I mean the ones that are within driving distance from your home

[CreekDog]

14. That's so sad

i'm hoping things turn out okay for the little one. :(

[flvegan]

15. 607-583-2225 ext. 262

If you can't get your local wildlife officials, zoo or sanctuary to help you out, call the above number. It's Farm Sanctuary out in CA (the number is their Emergency/Rescue number in NY). If they don't want to help you (highly unlikely) tell them that you're "a friend of one of Gene's Tampa friends" and they should help you out. They'll at least be able to give you immediate advice and should have a number of a sanctuary or rescue facility somewhere near you.

I'm sorry to read this tragic story, and I hope someone can do something for the deer left behind.

[Highway61]

18. Thank you all !!!!!

Your advice helped! I got in touch with someone who helped me get in touch someone who helped me get in touch with yet another and another. To make a long story short...I FOUND the baby! He/she will be picked up within the hour and handed over to the right person. I have some incredible pictures and will post with the details later...when things settle down and they pick the little one up. Meanwhile, I have some babysitting to do! :)

[redwitch]

19. Yay!

I love a happy ending! :hug: You are a sweet person.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. What a relief to hear this!

Good for you for taking action...if you hadn't, that beautiful baby would have most likely died.

I'm looking forward to seeing the pics!

:yourock:

:hug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

21. Awesome!

[flvegan]

22. Excellent news!

Nice work.

:thumbsup:

[Blue Diadem]

23. OMG that's great news!

A happy ending for sure!

I can't wait for the pictures.

:hug: You've had quite a day. I'm so sorry Momma deer got hit. That has to be hard to lose your animal friend. You saved her baby though and I'm betting she knows that.

[suninvited]

25. That is wonderful news

glad I checked back in on this thread.

[mainegreen]

27. +1!

[CreekDog]

28. this is amazing!

:hug:

you were the difference for that little one. :loveya:

[BarenakedLady]

30. Yay!

I'm so glad. You are a good person.

[SallyMander]

32. Yay!!! Have you posted the other thread yet?

:hug:

[femmocrat]

33. Wonderful ending to a very sad story.

:hug: Can't wait to see the pictures!

[marzipanni]

35. Highway61 revisited- any photos or news of the rescued fawn?

I hope the people who said they'd help you did, and you weren't up all night feeding a baby!

[kiva]

24. Just found this thread, and read it with dread and

anticipation...then happiness. Sometimes it's good to be late.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. Oh I'm so sorry...

I remember that beautiful picture. How very sad...

The baby is too young to survive without her mother or someone to bottle feed her. If there's a wildlife rehab center near you, you might want to call them and ask for advice. They may have people who deal with similar situations.

You did the right thing. It would have been cruel to allow the mother to suffer. :hug::hug::hug:

[marzipanni]

29. I looked up heat-sensing device because I was hoping there was some way

you could find the baby... I found a photo someone took when a less-than-a-week old fawn came to the edge of the woods at dusk near where its mother had been. Fawns do not have a scent, so that helps protect them from predators.
You could leave some apples or rolles oats at wood's edge in case its starting to nibble solid foods. and then quietly wait, scanning the edge of your wooded area for movement. Hopefully the little fawn has been watching when its mom was near you, and being a baby might not have fear of humans. I have to go out, but I hope you are successful in helping the fawn!
http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/viewsingleimage.html?mode=singleimage&handle=Retirez&number=245&showexif=1

P.S. YAY!!! :hug:
My son came home so I was talking to him, then saw your update! I still wanted to post this because of the nice photo. Your thread is an emotional roller coaster ride!

[Shell Beau]

34. That is so sad. But I am glad there is a happy ending!

Good for you for being so caring!!!! :hug:

[marzipanni]

36. Oops, I had been checking the lounge for your update

then went to the oiginal post via my DU, so missed the update.
Link to your update & photos:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8846657

me=:crazy: