Doe gives birth to 2 fawns in Warren County

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – “We received a phone call this morning from a man who stated that a deer had been in his backyard for two days, and it was moving and he wasn’t sure what needed to be done. He had not found anybody who could help him,” Warren County Animal Control officer Lisa Henderson says.

What that man saw was actually a deer giving birth to two baby fawns.

“Well, it was very surprising to hear that a doe was giving birth in August. They normally have their babies in June, early June actually. It’s not unusual to get them in late May. So it’s very unusual for a doe to have babies in August,” wildlife specialist Lori Dawson says.

If you happen to see any deer in distress, the best thing to do is leave it be and call a specialist who can help.

“Definitely first step would be trying to make phone calls to local agencies to see whether or not you need the Humane Society or Animal Control or Fish and Wildlife. There’s so many different things and different varieties of animals that you just have to make phone calls trying to figure out who exactly needs to respond,” Henderson says.

“Calling a wildlife rehabilitator is the best thing to do. Most of the time, a deer needs no assistance having a baby. The best thing is just to stand back and watch unless you think the deer is in distress, you just kind of let her have it naturally. It’s very unusual that they need help having a baby,” Dawson says.

In an update Wednesday, Dawson says the mother unfortunately did not make it despite her best efforts. The twins, a boy and girl named Jack and Jill by Dawson, are still fragile, she says.

Dawson now says both are not eating well since losing their mother, and fresh goat milk may help. If you are able to assist, you may send a message to Wild 4 Life’s Facebook page.