TO: All Wildlife Conservation Officers,  All Dispatchers, All Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officers
FROM: Vernon R. Ross, Executive Director
 

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Spring and summer bring numerous calls from the public regarding "Orphaned" wildlife. Wildlife Conservation Officers and other employees/deputies who receive reports of orphaned wildlife are instructed to handle these situations in the following manner:

1. Inform the person/caller that it is illegal to possess any live animal taken from the wild without a permit from the Game Commission.
Explain why we have this regulation:

A. To protect humans from potential diseases and parasites that wildlife may be harboring (rabies, deer tickets (Lyme disease), round worms (Bayliasscarius), etc.)

B. It's important to keep wildlife wild.

C. Acknowledge the person's good intentions of trying to save wildlife, but stress normal hiding behaviors of wildlife, and that in most cases the mother will return to her young once they are returned to where they were found. In the case of deer fawns, mention we have an overabundance of deer, and from a population management point of view, many fawns will die naturally from a variety of causes. Cite some of what we've learned from the Fawn Mortality Study (available of PGC website). Again... emphasize the importance of placing the fawn back where it was found, regardless of the eventual outcome.

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2. Unless the animal is a species of special concern, or a high-risk rabies vector (raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, bat, ground hog), inform the person/caller that they are to place the orphaned animal back in the wild where they found it. Every officer is encouraged to consider all relevant circumstances before deciding whether or not to cite. If they blatantly refuse to return the animal to the place where found, strong consideration should be given to citing them for possession. If it is a species of special concern, arrangements should be made with a rehabilitator or other appropriate facility to rear the animal until it can be released back to the wild. If it is a high-risk rabies vector and has had human contact, the animal should be euthanized and the head sent to a Department of Health Lab for rabies testing. Bear cubs should either be introduced to a receptive female or transported to the Northcentral Region rearing facility.

3. In cases where the mother of the animal is known to be dead, or if the animal has been raised in captivity for an extended period of time, acquire the animal and dispose of it discretely and humanely. In those cases where you consider it likely media attention will follow, you should be guided by the specific advice of a region office supervisor. Do not deliver orphaned wildlife to a rehabilitator or propagator unless authorized to do so by the Region Director or his designee.

For those who ask... "Why this, why now"?" I offer the following perspective:

In light of current uncertainties regarding Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), several conservation officers and regional staff have questioned how best to handle orphaned wildlife, particularly orphaned fawns.

Please keep in mind CWD has not been detected in Pennsylvania, that transmission of CWD from mother to fawn has not been documented, and that states with CWD (Colorado and Wyoming) still allow orphaned fawns to go to rehabilitators as long as the animal is not released outside the endemic area. It is equally important to recognize there is much more we don't know about CWD than we do. And for the protection of the deer resource it would be irresponsible for us to take unnecessary risks in our effort to safe a few hundred fawns. Bottom line... no one enjoys the thought of putting down healthy animals, especially young ones. But