There are many little miracles on a farm if you stop to watch the events of the animals who live there, including the animals who are normally considered wild. One of this year's miracles is that one of the does that grazes along the grassy areas of the farm had triplets. We knew this could happen, but we'd never seen in here. There are a lot of deer this year, and I realize that they must be hunted otherwise after such a large number being born this year, there will be starvation and disease this Winter. Still, I said a prayer for the doe and her precious three fawns. All three were identically specked with white, and stayed close to their mother. Each evening, they would come to the back yard of the farm, which is encircled by thick forest, and they would graze. I would either cook or do dishes at the kitchen window while watching them.
If the bears aren't here, I occasionally feed the deer and the birds, and probably for this reason, the deer don't fear me. Occasionally, they come close, and although I don't touch them, I do note their markings and general condition. The mother doe and the triplets looked healthy through Summer. As the Autumn began, the triplets began spending more and more time away from each other, and away from their mother.
I have known that with the large number of deer I have seen this year at the side of the country roads and on the highway, that it would be a difficult year for deer. When there are large numbers, some of them actually will jump into cars, and people have been killed when a buck, or even a doe jumps into a driver's side window. We all need to slow down around deer, but occasionally an accident occurs that isn't the fault of the driver.
I ran some short errands today off the farm and returned this afternoon. On my return, I saw a new model car I didn't recognize, parked outside the farm gate. I parked beyond his car and got out, because I couldn't have driven to the gate. The man explained that as he was driving by a young deer crossing the road on it's way back to my farm had struck his car. A small deer, clearly within our property lines, lay on the ground, on her side, with rapid respirations. The man was truly upset, and he said he'd called the sheriff's office for animal control. He had hoped that they could help her. I walked near her quietly, and despite the fact that the white speckles had mostly faded, she was most certainly one of the triplets. The man thought she was badly injured, but at first I wasn't so sure. Other than the rapid respirations and one leg being in an unusual position, I thought a closed fracture was possible. She also was still alive fifteen minutes later with lower respirations which I thought was a good sign. I called the sheriff's office to see when animal control expected to arrive. I also opened the farm gate, in case she was well enough to get up and run to what we had considered her home.
All at once, she got up, took a few steps and collapsed on the opposite side to which she had been lying. When she collapsed. I could see multiple abrasions on the side on which she had hit the car, but I also saw bright blood seeping from the interior of a back leg. She could stand, but she could not run. Most likely, she had a fracture. The man who'd hit her was upset. I told him that the deer don't watch the road well, and that this happens sometimes, no matter how careful you are. I also told him that in our area we have state certified wildlife rehabilitators, and that since wildlife is the property of the Commonwealth in our state, only licensed wildlife rehabilitators are permitted to care for them. Most of them specialize in specific animals, some squirrels, some deal with birds, and others with deer. There is even a rehabilitation center for bears. He was from out of state and seemed a little bit relieved.
Then a deputy sheriff arrived. He took some information from the man who'd hit her and then released him to go home, as he was leaving for his home state this evening. The deputy sheriff told us that he would remain with us until animal control arrived. By that time, my husband had arrived, and since I had called him, he drove very slowly so as not to frighten the poor deer. By then, she was still alive, but her respirations had increased again and she sounded as if she had fluid and significant congestion in her lungs. This of course, suggested a much more grave prognosis. I told the sheriff I wished to give her a chance to make it to a wildlife rehabilitator, but even as I said it, I could see her condition deteriorating. He told me that in addition to being a deputy sheriff that he was also a hunter. He thought that she was suffering and he offered to shoot her in order to euthanize her. I would have preferred to take her to my barn, administered an injectable antibiotic, established a saline iv line with pediatric tubing, administered a newborn alpaca dose of NSAID, splinted her fractured leg while waiting for the farm vet. Of course, on wildlife in this state, none of that would have been legal, and I didn't even know if it would have been fair to this poor creature, and so I said a quick prayer over her, and I stood a few feet away for as long as it took for the officer to euthanize her with one loud shot.
We probably should have buried her here, but I don't think where the animals spend eternity is impacted by their burial spot, and so we have the deputy a thick industrial style trash bag and he took her with him in his sheriff's SUV. I have not seen her siblings or any other deer since.
I will admit to being deeply saddened over this, although I understand that the circle of life is the way of this world. I hope she was comforted by the soft speech of the lady who enjoyed her presence as she grazed each evening. Thank you to the deputy who was as concerned for her and who helped us make what I think in the end was the best choice for her.
I still have tears.
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