Arizona officials are reminding people to leave wildlife alone after a baby deer was taken from the desert area east of Wickenburg in what appears to be an attempt to help the fawn. 

Now the animal will be sent to the Keepers of the Wild Nature Park in Valentine on Wednesday, according to Mike Demlong, Wildlife Education Program Manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

“Leave baby wildlife alone, unless you’re absolutely sure the parent is dead or the baby wildlife looks injured,” Demlong said. “There’s no reason to remove them from the wild.”

Demlong said a man found the fawn and took it into a bar, but he didn’t want it and was trying to get someone to take it.

“Sometimes parents will leave babies out in the wild and go out to forage for several hours,” he said. 

He said a woman took the fawn in an attempt to help it find care. 

Taking animals from the wild is a citable offense.  Demlong said nobody knew the man who took the baby deer, so they won’t be pursuing an investigation. The only concern now is to ensure the safety of the deer. 

Demlong said he was contacted at about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the fawn came into his possession later that night at around 11:00 p.m.

He mentioned that the deer was in a crate in his office on Wednesday. He said he took it outside every three hours to feed it and give it time to walk around outside.

“I had to teach it to eat from a bottle, that was a big challenge,” Demlong said.

He said the game and fish department still need to have a veterinarian check-up on the fawn before it’s sent to the sanctuary in Valentine.

“I think I’m going to take it up there on Wednesday,” Demlong said. 

 

 

 

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