Off topic: help for an injured doe

Pam, thanks for the advice and for coming back to offer it.

I guess it's hard to see what initially appeared to be an injured animal, and just stand back w/o intervening, but I do recognize that human intervention can result in injuries to both human and animal.

I haven't seen her since, so I think she's moved on, hopefully to somewhere safe. I feel good that neighbors were concerned, and even better that the doe was able to recover so quickly and resume her travels.

I am in NY and we are not allowed to rescue adult deer. One kick can kill you.
Sounds like Michigan is the same. And yes, they do get along well on three legs, believe it or not.

Just want to mention one more thing.

In our State, at one time, there were very strict laws regarding trying to confine deer to ones property. Wounded or otherwise.

GA,
If you do follow the Game Warden angle you might give them the heads up that the deer is in someone’s yard by its own choice, not an attempt of the property owner to have a “pet deer”.

Attempting to have a pet deer, at one time was a big No No in our State.

I know that’s not the intention of you or your neighbors but if you pursue the Game Warden angle I would mention it.

Deer are such cool and beautiful animals and so resilient.

LoL. If a deer decides to be your pet deer and hop over your yard fence there’s not much you can do to prevent that!

I hope she recovers if she is injured, and is able to continue to visit your yard. Not sure how your garden will fare.😬

Update on my furry friend: I watched periodically last night to see if she'd go to the "water station" but never saw her after she jumped the fence from my neighbor's yard into their next door neighbor's yard.

Animal control said this morning that they're aware of the situation, but (a) the Michigan DNR told them "hands off" any deer, and (b) the doe has been seen jumping over other fences, and (c) the conclusion has been made that she was not as injured as I thought she was.

Therefore, don't plan to do anything.

Thanks to everyone who responded; I'm copying and saving your messages in case something like this happens again and I need to try to find help.

Lizzy, I'm checking out the Game Warden angle. If I'm prepared, there won't be any more instances of large mammal visitors. It always happens that way - when I'm not prepared, crises occur. When I am prepared, nothing happens.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing their thoughts and suggestions. I'm glad she's mobile again, and hope she finds her way back to her home....but I won't be surprised to see her in my garden, perhaps with some cute little fawns? At one point she was beginning to eat something - might have been violets, or the Siberian Squills.

I might have to revise my gardening plans and add a Deer Bed.

How kind you are, GardenArtist! That deer certainly chose the right yard to go to in her hour of need. :)

GA- deer also love corn and turnip greens, persimmons. Aren't they beautiful creatures. I have seen a deer that walked on 3 legs as if it had broken the other at one time or something, but it got around fine.

Rats? Really? We live out in the woods and haven't even seen a mouse in 2 years. Course there WAS a year....

GA,

In our state Parks and Wildlife Dept., Game Wardens handle wounded wildlife. Game Wardens are a branch of Law Enforcement here. They come out and remove nuisance wildlife and relocate or get wounded wildlife to rehabbers.

GardenArtist, when I live in a wooded area many years ago we had a well traveled deer trail going through the back of our property. We had a feed tray for the deer and bought Purina Horse Chow which worked fine. Only thing one had to go to a feed store, Purina has a list on line. Deer love apples and carrots. Even left over lettuce and dinner rolls.

Sounds like the deer is slowly recovering. She could have been winded as in the city limits there are a lot of fences to jump.

Thanks, Barb, and AC CM.

In the meantime, I found a wildlife rehabber who lives about 50 -60+ miles north of me. Although her listing on the DNR website indicates she rehabs large mammals, she told me that she doesn't take deer as they die of stress from close contact with humans.

I wonder if that's primarily in an urban environment? At any rate, she told me what to feed the doe so that she can become stronger. She also said deer can live with a broken leg, but that would compromise her ability to cope, I would think.

The food she could eat is also food that attracts rats. So I just set out a lot of water for her.

She's still frightened, b u t ....guess what? She was almost standing on her bad leg, and was able to leap over the chain link fence, which I never thought she could do!

Maybe she didn't have a broken leg. The rehabber told me that sometimes they scrape a leg when fence jumping, so hopefully hers was just sore.

Thanks so much, everybody. I really hope we can help her tomorrow, even if she lives in my yard for a while. It's time I planted some veggies anyway.

I've sent an email to Pamstegma with attention to this thread. Hoping for the best in your care efforts.

I just pm ed her. Hope that she will reach out.

BTW, does anyone know how to reach Pam Stegma by e-mail? I believe she works in wildlife rehab, in NY, I think.

I think I'll PM the Admins and see if they can contact her.

I wish I could help. Poor doe!

Came home this evening to find a doe in my garden area. This is not a rural area; it's a city type area, although we are close to a zoo. A neighbor has said he's seen deer in the area as well.

She seems to have an injured right hind leg, holding it up when she hops or stands still. She's hopped over to my next door neighbor's yard now. The only way out from either of our yards is to the front, with a street that's too well traveled, with speeding cars at rush hour and hospital shift change time.

Police won't do anything; said just let nature takes its course. MI Humane Society is closed but message advises to find a wildlife rehabilitator. I'm starting to do that now but wondered if anyone knows of a national rehabilitator for wildlife? Any rehabilitator with a 24 hour hotline?

The city Animal Control and MI DNR are closed. Police said if she's still alive tomorrow morning, call Animal Control, which either my neighbor or I will do.

I wanted to feed her but according to the city there are rats all over, and I don't want to feed the rats, nor do I want them pestering her when they see a wounded animal. (I don't know if they would attack a larger animal but I wouldn't want to encourage them with food.)

I suspect deep down that if I can't find a wildlife rehabilitator, there's nothing I can do. But she's so lovely - those big eyes that should be calm are filled with anxiety now.

Can anyone help this sweet animal?