Giggles controversy prompts policy proposal

By Kirsten Adshead | Wisconsin Reporter

MADISON – Giggles the fawn may not have died in vain.

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the fawn’s death in July, Wisconsin officials on Thursday released a modified proposal for dealing with captured wildlife.

The proposed changes include:

• After voluntarily collecting an illegally captured wild animal, Department of Natural Resources staff would reintroduce the animal to the wild if it does not pose a threat to public health, the health of wildlife or to the animal itself. In the case of deer, if a deer originates in a Chronic Wasting Disease zone, it could only be reintroduced in a CWD zone.
• If a wild animal cannot be released immediately  nto the wild, but could be safely released after rehabilitation, it would be taken to a licensed rehabilitator. In the case of deer, following rehabilitation, a deer that originated in a CWD zone could only be reintroduced into a CWD zone.
• DNR staff would only euthanize a wild animal if it is sick, highly likely to be diseased, or a threat to public health or the health of other wildlife.