Update: The deer has a new home at Gulf Shores Zoo. A happy ending to this story!
http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2012/jun/05/bambi-gets-new-home-zoo-ar-3921963/
When I saw this story from the Facebook page of WKRG-TV in Mobile it made me question why the game warden will likely take this deer away again. But sadly this is the law. If you have not seen this story click the link below.
http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2012/jun/04/incredible-journey-pet-deer-makes-50-mile-journey–ar-3915462/
The deer was found along a roadside with her mother who was hit by a car. Kenneth Webster took the baby deer named Bambi back to his home and raised it. But someone saw the deer and called the game warden. The game warden came out and tranquilized Bambi and took it to a deer sanctuary around 50 miles away. But would you know it, around two weeks later the deer was back at Mr. Webster’s house. But in Alabama keeping wild pets is illegal. And the game warden says he will come back out and move the deer again.
The comments on social media has been an outstanding the guy should keep the deer. But sadly Mr. Webster will likely see the deer moved away again. And most likely to another part of Alabama or the southeast that is far away from the house. But this is a decision I do not agree with! When the game warden comes to the house and moves the deer again. The deer will just start going back to the house again. Now I know the law is the law; but if the game warden has to take the deer away again why not take it to a zoo or an animal park? Because the deer will either starve or find its way back home again.
While on the deer topic; I wanted to share a blog that is very timely about this issue. Day by Day the Farm Girl Way is about the life out on the farm. But Lori Brock also is a licensed rehabber. And she rehabbed two deers named Daisy and Holly after being injured. After they were released after hunting season Holly disappeared but Lori thinks the deer returned to its herd. But Daisy stuck around the area. And after e-mailing Lori about this story she wrote this.
I have not blogged about what happened with Daisy about a month ago, but it is similar to what happened to Bambi. Daisy was about a mile from here in a rather rough area of town (she followed an old river channel to get there) and a lady reported her as a dangerous deer. Rather, had the lady clapped or “shooed” Daisy away, she would have run off as she is not people-friendly. Instead, animal control arrived and tranquilized her. She was not herself for about a week. It was disturbing. She’s fine now. Daisy is free-roam, and has been since we released her January 15th. We have heard she hangs on the outskirts of town. We live on the outskirts of town. She is often seen crossing a busy road. We of course, worry about her, but she must live life as intended. She is hoofed off by the local herds. She’s considered a danger to a herd as she was not raised with herd ways, though they do tolerate her presence from time to time. She will be a loner until she has her own babies and starts her own family herd.
Deer will connect with humans when given a chance. The above video shows the bond between deer and humans if given a chance. And I guess the game warden does not want this guy to bond with more deer. Indeed keeping wild animals is against the law in most states. And me and Lori both say that Mr. Webster has little chance in keeping the deer. It’s a sad story and I hope if they do move the deer they will take it to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo. In closing Lori perfectly expanded what will probably happen.
I hope that Alabama makes an exception for Bambi, but likely they will not. I am a licensed rehabber, and our local game warden allows me to make decisions about what to do with wildlife, but I also know I cannot keep a wild animal as a pet, by law. It is a risk we take, bonding wild animals and humans. It is a gift, yet because of law (that I disagree with and always have) we are not allowed to help them in that manner.
The family has created a petition to allow them to keep the deer. Click on the link to sign it.
http://www.change.org/petitions/support-kenneth-webster-and-bambi-free-the-deer-to-her-family
And if Kenneth Webster or anyone connected to him is reading this article; I can connect you to Lori Brock; e-mail me to barcncpt44@aol.com
