Deer hurt in collisions have to be put down

Her eyes were wide open and unblinking.

All struggles ceased after she fought unsuccessfully to stand up on the badly broken leg and it appeared as if now, lying in the ditch beside Oldfield Road, she knew this was the end.

Another deer hit by a vehicle, another shocked driver and bystanders wondering how to help. But who to call? The answer is either local police or B.C. Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.

But don’t expect the deer to be whipped off in an animal ambulance. Unless the animal is on the move, it will be shot.

B.C. SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre cannot take adult deer — although they take orphaned fawns — so adults either have to hobble away on their own or be put down, manager Kari Marks said.

“We can’t take adult deer. They can’t handle captivity. They get hyper-stressed if you try and enclose them, and fling themselves against the wall to get out,” she said. “Broken legs are almost impossible to fix. You put a cast on and they just kick it off.”

When a deer is hit, it will often go into a state of shock and then its heart gives out, she said.

“For us, that sometimes looks as if the deer is calm.”

October and November are the worst months for vehicle-animal collisions because it is darker during commuting hours and often wet. It is also rutting season.

“It’s a time when the animals are still really active. They haven’t settled down for their winter rest,” Marks said. “So just be vigilant and slow down. Almost expect them round the next corner.”

When one deer jumps out, look for the next one, as they rarely travel alone, she said.

An awkward by-product of animal collisions are deer who stagger to nearby properties to die.