A new rest stop for reindeer?

December 11, 2013 · 0 Comments

Rudolph and his pals will have a new place to stop for a rest and a hearty meal this winter if they need it.

After many years of dedicated fund-raising, Procyon Wildlife Veterinary and Rehabilitation Services in Beeton finally received enough money to build a much-needed sanctuary for orphaned deer. Shell Oil provided about half of the funds through their Fuelling Change grant. The remainder of the money came from caring donors eager to help save orphaned and injured deer in our area.

Construction of the new deer enclosures started this past summer when our crew of volunteers marked out the enclosure perimeters and cleared the area for fencing to be erected. In the fall, the crew from Simcoe Fence Company constructed 2 one-acre deer enclosures, each of which can house up to eight adult deer. Volunteers built gates and installed electric fence to keep predators out. Lee Sheds donated a small barn to provide shelter from the wind and cold. At last the enclosures were ready to go!

And none too soon, either. Only a few weeks before the enclosures were finished, we received a young fawn who was paralyzed in her hind end. X-rays showed no sign of spinal fracture but we think she had been hit by a car because she had wounds on her back. We treated her for pain and swelling to see if her condition would improve. We housed her in a small enclosure large enough for her to move around but small enough to prevent further injuries. Our volunteers provided physiotherapy twice a day, holding her up and encouraging her to walk on the lawn outside her cage. One volunteer named her Willow because it was her favourite food. We monitored her progress and, though we thought we saw slight signs of improvement, we were concerned that she may never walk again. Then, suddenly one day when I went out to feed her, there she was- standing in her pen, waiting for her breakfast! Success! We were all thrilled!

Now Willow is walking almost normally and we acquired a friend to keep her company during her stay at Procyon Wildlife. His name is Hawthorne. He’s a very handsome boy, a little older than Willow. For Willow it was love at first sight; she was so happy to have a new friend! They’re inseparable and they’re enjoying their new home in one of the new enclosures.

Two enclosures are great but we’re not stopping there. There is such a great need for deer rehabilitation in this province that we have two more enclosures planned. And so the fund-raising continues. If you’d like to help, call us at 905 729–0033, mail your donation to Procyon Wildlife at 6441 7th Line, Beeton, ON, L0G 1A0, or donate through our website, procyonwildlife.com

So, we expect to provide homes for orphaned and injured White Tail Deer at Procyon Wildlife for years to come. And we’ve never see reindeer this far south. But we sure wouldn’t mind if Rudolph and his pals stopped by for a rest on Christmas eve. The hay and (deer) cookies will be waiting!