Fawn rescued from dog cage in Sonoma County

A deer fawn was rescued on Wednesday from an outdoor wire dog crate at a Sonoma County home, authorities said.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a social media post on Wednesday that Officer Cameron Blechert received a report that a group of people in Sonoma County was seen taking a deer fawn from the wild and placing it in a cage. Blechert went to the location where the fawn was reportedly being kept and saw that the fawn was in a dog crate outside of a residence, CDFW said. The location was not disclosed.

The people at the home said that they had found the fawn in the wild and acknowledged that they had been keeping it at home for over three weeks. according to the department.

One of the suspects was issued a citation for unlawfully capturing and confining wildlife. The fawn was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center so it could be appropriately cared for and released back into the wild, the department said.

The department also noted that it is illegal to keep deer in your personal possession. Violations are considered a misdemeanor, subject to fines of up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail. 

Authorities also asked that the public leave deer where they belong – in the wild. According to the department, each spring and summer, CDFW and wildlife rehabilitation facilities are called to assist with fawns that have been removed from the wild.

Fawn Rescue of Sonoma County said in its 'Fawn Fact Sheet' that it is understandable for people to mistakenly assume that a fawn found alone has been abandoned.

The nonprofit wildlife rescue, which is licensed by the CDFW, asks residents to understand that if you discover a fawn, there is a high probability it is not abandoned. Does will leave fawns for hours at a time to eat and roam, and humans should avoid lingering around fawns so that their mothers can return to them.

If residents are worried about a fawn, for whatever reason, they urge the public to never touch or try to rescue a fawn themselves, but instead immediately call wildlife services.

To report an injured, sick or suspected orphaned fawn, contact your local CDFW regional office directly at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions.