Animals in need of rescue are not uncommon. As good people, it’s in our nature to want to help them out. Most of the time, that involves helping them out of their sticky situation and turning them over to the proper authorities for further help.
Sometimes, like in this TikTok, nature has other plans:
@ann_ann_98 Lost baby
I am simultaneously very jealous of @ann_ann_98 getting to hold a baby deer and very grateful for her finding it in time.
This is something that, as a New Englander, I feel very passionate about. Of course, there are deer all over the country, but it’s especially prevalent where I live that we’re extra cautious of the fact there there could potentially be deer anywhere.
Hunting season varies by state, but it’s typically starting around this time of year everywhere. Deer are easily spooked and tend to run for cover, which seems like is what could be the case here. The fawn may have heard a loud noise and ran for cover under the car, where it got stuck and thus lost its mom.
It happens more than you’d think. If you know you live in a deer-heavy area during hunting season, you should always check under your car before getting in it. Tons of wildlife (and even some outdoor/lost cats or dogs) will seek shelter under or around vehicles. Additionally, checking the wheel wells and giving your horn a quick double-honk before you start the car will help.
Ann released the deer into the wild at first, and it came back to her – probably because it has no idea where its mother is and can’t survive on its own. Releasing it straight into the wild is never advisable: the best course of action is to contact your local wildlife authority. Once the deer came back, however, it looks like Ann has yet to release it: her family has a barn, and the deer appears to have become part of their family!
Ann had the space to be able to do this, but a typical person might not. Deer aren’t really meant to be pets. If you run across a baby deer in need of help, contact your local wildlife center. In the meantime, you can keep it with you: just make sure you’re not feeding it anything harmful!
