Don't Rescue 'Abandoned' Fawns, RI Wildlife Officials Warn

If you see a fawn or other baby animal left by itself this spring, don't attempt to "rescue" it, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said. Just because an animal is by itself, hidden in the grass or bushes doesn't mean it has been abandoned, instead it should be left alone.

For the first five to seven days after a fawn's birth, it is unable to follow its mother, so it stays curled in the grass in the "freeze" position. During this time, the baby animal usually won't run away or resist being carried, so well-meaning people will take them home to "save" them from predators. Usually, the mother is nearby and will check in on the fawn during the day and after dark.

Approaching a fawn during this early phase of life "can often doom" it, the DEM said. If there's no dead doe nearby, the fawn has not been abandoned.

If you see a fawn or other baby animal in the grass or bushes, leave the area as quickly as possible without creating a disturbance. In Rhode Island, it's illegal to keep wild animals as pets, including fawns. Deer are not ideal for a life in captivity, often suffering malnutrition and negative behavioral changes.