SUPERIOR, Wis. - Things got wild at the Humane Society of Douglas County last week.
The animal shelter has received and found homes for animals of all kinds - dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils, even tame chickens accustomed to riding in backpacks and walking on a leash.
Staff members tend to draw the line at fish, director Sheila Keup said, because they could become snacks for the cats. Instead, they look for alternative placement options.
Last week, however, they experienced something new. Two newborn fawns were brought to the shelter by a trio of young adults Friday afternoon.
"I’ve never seen a deer that little before, close up," Keup said. The pair of babies could barely stand and their umbilical cords were still wet.
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"They were adorable, but I wish they’d let them be," Keup said.
The young people found the fawns while walking on Wisconsin Point with their dog. The canine scared away a deer, then started licking the fawns the doe had left behind. The trio called Wildwoods, a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation group based in Duluth.
"When they were instructed to leave the babies because the mother would certainly come back, they picked them up, put them in the car with their dog, and drove them to the Douglas County humane society," said Sarah Glesner, Wildwoods animal care supervisor.
Keup’s first call was to Wildwoods, followed by law enforcement and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
"We all worked together to find the best solution, give them the best chance of survival," Keup said.
Once it was determined the fawns’ body temperature was warm enough, the young adults were told "to immediately return those poor babies to their mother," Glesner said.
This time, the three listened.
"They were trying to do the right thing," Keup said. "They really didn’t."
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With spring babies arriving throughout the Northland, the DNR is urging residents to "keep wildlife wild." In a live online chat last week, DNR staff responded to questions from throughout the state.
"If you find a fawn that is lying down alone and quiet, the mother is still nearby," wrote wildlife biologist Mandy Kamps "She does not stay with her fawn all the time because their best protection from predators is to lay still and blend in with their environment. If a fawn is walking around and crying for more than a couple hours, then it may be orphaned."
If people see a young animal or turtle on the roadway, they can herd the animal off the road, or in the case of a turtle, pick it up and move it to the other side.
If people see an animal they think is orphaned, the first step is to contact Wildwoods, 218-491-3604 or duluthrehabber@yahoo.com , or the DNR at 888-936-7463.
"Unfortunately, Wildwoods currently cannot accept fawns from Superior due to the issue of crossing state lines," Glesner said. "However we can help provide advice for people over the phone that have questions or concerns about a fawn. Never pick up and remove a fawn from a situation until consulting a wildlife professional, and after receiving the advice, please follow it to give the fawn the best chance of survival."
The humane society’s two visitors were returned to Wisconsin Point the same day they were brought in. One of them was still bleating with every move, Keup said, a good sign that they would be able to reconnect with their mother. She suggested keeping dogs on a leash during walks for the next month or so, particularly in areas like Wisconsin Point where deer could be having babies.
More information is available through the Wildwoods Facebook page and website, www.wildwoodsrehab.org . The DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, has information on wild spring babies under the heading "keep wildlife wild." The department’s entire "ask the experts" chat on the subject can be found on the website.
