A heartwarming display of community spirit unfolded on Vancouver Island this week, as residents demonstrated remarkable patience and care in ensuring the safety of a young black-tailed deer fawn.
On Thursday, May 8, traffic came to a standstill along Lands End Road and Hedgerow Place in North Saanich, allowing a fawn to safely cross the road and reunite with its mother.
Resident Nikki Bunn captured the touching moment and shared a photo on social media, praising the drivers for their thoughtful actions.
"Huge rave to everyone here," her post read. "Especially the lady in the VW. There was a fawn in the road, and she stopped traffic to help it cross safely to its Mom. No one here was in a rush. Everyone took their time to make sure everyone, including mom and fawn were safe. All the vehicles had their hazards on, too. This made my day."
The incident was particularly meaningful, as it marked a happy ending to a story that began earlier in the week.
Jules Thorsen and her husband, John Christensen, who live on Lands End Road, had initially discovered the same fawn alone and distressed on Tuesday (May 6).
"My husband and I found her that morning crying near the road 鈥� she came right up to us so we attempted to help her," Thorsen explained. "We called Wild ARC right away, and they instructed us to put her back in the forest and monitor."
Concerned for the fawn's well-being, the couple diligently checked on it throughout the day. However, they found it remained alone and vulnerable, prompting further action.
"We had to pick her up as she was on the road. She had a cloudy white left eye, so we were concerned that she was partially blind," Thorsen added.
Following guidance from BC SPCA Wild ARC, a wildlife rescue organization, Thorsen and Christensen learned that mother deer, or does, often leave their fawns for extended periods, sometimes up to 48 hours, while foraging for food.
While their instinct was to immediately take the fawn to Wild ARC, they were advised to instead rub grass on the fawn and return it to the location where they found it.
"It was very difficult for us to leave her, but we were reminded they are wild animals," Thorsen said. "We were tempted to take her home and drive her to Wild ARC, but that would have been a mistake."
Wild ARC provided consistent support and guidance throughout the process.
The couple expressed relief upon seeing the photo of the fawn safely reunited with its mother, shared on a local community Facebook page.
"A very happy ending for all," they said.
The post garnered numerous positive comments from the online community, with one member writing, "Wonderful, well done folks. Respect for nature and all species is key to life."
The incident serves as a timely reminder that late May and June are deer fawning season in British Columbia.
"For the past two weeks, we have been receiving calls about fawn sightings," said Nadia Xenakis, a specialist in wild animal welfare at the BC SPCA. "We requested they simply keep an eye on the fawn because it's likely the mother will return 鈥� so far in all cases we received, the mother has returned, so human intervention wasn't necessary."
Xenakis says it's usually very concerning if people see a fawn curled up, looking vulnerable near dens, sheds, backyards or roadsides.
"Fawns spend much of their days alone and quiet to avoid predators," she explained.
BC SPCA emphasizes the importance of giving deer ample space, keeping pets on leashes and avoiding any interference.
The animal welfare organization says if you suspect a fawn has been orphaned or injured and you are worried they have been abandoned, don鈥檛 disturb them. Check on the fawn from a distance for the next 24 hours 鈥� the mother will likely return and move the baby to a new spot.
If the fawn has not moved after 24 hours, starts to cry, is wandering aimlessly, or looks injured, .
BC SPCA recommends checking out at spcabc.ca for more information, or call Wild ARC Victoria at 250-478-9453 for expert advice and assistance.
Their guidance can help ensure the best possible outcome for these vulnerable young animals.
