Wildlife Center of Virginia: Rescue Advice

 

Fawn along the BRP

(Photo: Merlot - Aug. 12, 2012)

I just read a sad tale about a fawn that got into a sheep pasture this morning. The two dogs that live with and protect the sheep (Great Pyrenees) considered the fawn an intruder (just doing their job) and although they didn't kill it outright, they did grab/bite it and 'herded' the fawn until it was exhausted and couldn't stand up. The owner didn't know what to do to help the injured/exhausted and traumatized fawn - she tried calling the state game department (not living in Virginia) and could get no answer. In the meanwhile, she had carried the fawn to her barn and put it in a stall to protect it. When she returned to check on it, the fawn had died.

In this case, I don't know what she could have done that would have changed the outcome because once she found the fawn, it was likely already too late. What 'got to me' in her account, was the feeling of panic and frustration, trying to get help .... dialing numbers for her state's game department, getting transferred, then getting an answering machine. We are very, very fortunate that here in Virginia we have the Wildlife Center of Virginia where we can call to get help and advice and/or a webpage with excellent information. Sometimes a little advice is all we need .... for instance, you find a fawn in your yard or while out on the trail, perhaps you find baby birds or squirrels in your back yard ... what should you do (or not do)? Then again, you could need a lot of advice/help in an emergency .... a wild animal is hit by a car or attacked by a domestic animal(s) and badly injured.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia has a "Rescue Advice" page with phone numbers you can call and I am listing those here (a direct copy from their page):

Staff at the Wildlife Center of Virginia are available seven days a week to help deal with wildlife health issues. Please call 540.942.9453 to reach the Wildlife Center. The front desk is staffed from 9 AM to 5 PM daily. Center veterinarians are on call after hours to deal with wildlife emergencies. Please call 540.241.4045 if you have an after-hours wildlife emergency.

Here is the link to their rescue advice page where they also have links to "Help! I have found a ...... [baby bird, baby deer, baby opossum, baby rabbit, baby squirrel]:

Wildlife Center - Rescue Advice Webpage

I have been sharing links to the WCV on Facebook (especially those regarding the 19 black bear cubs) and posting links on the Friday Roundups, but after reading the fawn story this morning, I felt that an actual post on R2R was in order. Again, we are SO very lucky to have the WCV virtually in our back yard and our neighbor on the AT (they are in Waynesboro)...... if you need them, here is the info and if you can support them, please do.

~Merlot

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Note: Livestock guardian dogs are becoming quite popular in the US, especially out west. I have also seen them out with flocks along I-81. If you do ever hike/bike in areas where you may encounter livestock guardian dogs, there is "correct behavior" to be observed. Some time ago, I saw this link posted by a hiking group - it is filmed in Europe, but dogs are dogs and the way to deal with them would also apply here in the States. The video also helps explain why the dogs considered the fawn in the post above an "intruder".  If you are interested, here is the video link: 

 Lifestock guardian dogs: The correct behavior in front of Lifestock guardian dogs