Animal activists say more could have been done to save 22 euthanized fawns in Meade County

MEADE COUNTY, Ky. —

Animal activists Jessica Powell-Page and Krista Embry said they are angry and sad, after 22 fawns were euthanized on Tuesday.

In a statement to WLKY, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife said the fawns had to be euthanized because they were rescued from one of the state's Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance zones.

It is illegal to rehabilitate a deer from one of the three zones, according to Kentucky law .

The statement said Chronic Wasting Disease is "an always fatal, neurological disease affecting white-tailed deer, elk and other animals in the deer family. There is no known cure or vaccine, and the disease can cause months or years of suffering for the infected animals. Movement of animals can increase the range of the disease over a greater area. Ther