‘Kind-napped’ fawns: Lone baby deer likely don’t need your help, says MARS Rescue Centre

A Vancouver Island wildlife centre is raising concerns about the number of fawns being brought in by “good-hearted” locals — many of which don’t actually need rescue.

“We are up to our ears in fawns here at MARS right now,” Merville-based MARS (Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society) said Saturday.

“These very delicate infants need highly specialist care, they are incredibly susceptible to bacteria, disease, GI upset, and incorrect care, causing stress.”

The charitable organization north of Courtenay took to Facebook this weekend, saying fawns often die from a condition called “capture myopathy” — where high stress levels cause muscle degeneration in both wild and domestic animals.

The baby deer are usually born in late May or June, WildSafe BC says.

“Every year, we are flooded with kidnap