MARROWSTONE ISLAND — When the fawn, which had been treated as a pet in the Sequim area, was brought into an animal rescue in May, it was draped in a faux leopard skin coat and wore a rhinestone collar and leash.
On Oct. 31, it was released into freedom at Fort Flagler State Park along with three other 6-month-old orphans that had been rehabilitated since they were taken to the Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene in May.
The hope is that they will make their own family in the safety of Fort Flagler, where hunting is not allowed.
“Ideally, if they are in the wild with mom, mom usually keeps them for the first winter as a family group, but these guys can stay as a family group,” said Sara Penhallegon, founder and director of the rescue at 11900 Center Road.
One female fawn suffered a broken leg after being hit by a car in Kitsap County.
Another female fawn was found in Shelton after its mother was killed by a car. The two males are both from Sequim.
One was rescued from a pack of coyotes — “some guys chased the coyotes off the fawn,” which had a head injury.
The other, apparently taken from its mother, had been kept as a pet for about a week, Penhallegon said.
She said that Jay Moore at the Northwest Raptor Center in Sequim heard about the fawn and contacted state Fish and Wildlife.
Officers brought the fawn to the raptor center.
“When it came in, it had a [faux] leopard skin coat and a rhinestone collar and leash,” Penhallegon said.
“It was a little thin but in decent condition,” she added.
“It had been a premature baby and so it was tiny,” Penhallegon said.
At the time of its release, it had grown to match the size of the others, she said.
“It just took longer to grow.”
The fawn was so young — only two or three weeks old — and had been captive for such a short period of time that it didn’t take long to bring it back to a wild state.
Penhallegon said she just left it alone and didn’t talk to it.
“It turned around really quick,” she said.
Wild animals are kept separate from domestic creatures in a special wildlife facility built to keep the animals away from the public so they can remain wild.
“I’m the only one who works with the wildlife,” said Penhallegon, a licensed wildlife rehaber and licensed veterinarian technician.
She doesn’t name or pet them, and makes sure they remain wary of people.
The youth of the four fawns was the driving force behind the center’s efforts to find a release spot for them where no hunting was allowed.
“They don’t have their street smarts,” Penhallegon explained.
Also, the fawns were expected to be a bit woozy upon release, according to Center Valley Rescue board member Jean Holtz.
They had to be sedated for safe transport. And Fort Flagler was a calm place to allow them to recover as they were freed, said Holtz and Penhallegon.
“Fort Flagler proved to be a perfect site with no hunting, plenty of native food and a large open field,” Holtz said.
Penhallegon works with state Fish and Wildlife officers when rehabilitated wild animals are ready for release.
“I thought of Fort Flagler” on Marrowstone Island because no hunting is allowed there, Penhallegon said.
“The Fish and Wildlife officers thought it was a great idea because it was bringing new bloodlines to the island,” she said.
It looked as though the fawns might be adopted, she said.
“When we were waking the deer up, there was a doe across the field watching all of this. She was alone, so I would guess that she had probably lost her baby this year,” Penhallegon said.
As they left, they saw the doe nuzzling the fawns.
“She greeted them, and it looked like she was going to take them in,” Penhallegon said.
The center has taken in more than 70 wild animals so far this year.
“The first one came in April,” Penhallegon said. “Winter is my slow season since I don’t do [wild] birds.”
Sixty percent of the wildlife this year survived and were released back into the wild in remote locations.
The center has only two wild animals now — two raccoons being wintered over.
It also has two educational animals, a raccoon named Miss Kitty, and Nelly Bell, a flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are arboreal, nocturnal natives of the North Olympic Peninsula.
The center also takes in farm animals and pets, and many are adoptable.
Usually, some 140-150 animals are at the center, and although some have special needs, most are available for adoption, Penhallegon said.
Right now, the center has about 50 cats, three dogs, a dozen horses, two goats, two llamas, four sheep, a steer, a pig, an emu and a number of turkeys, as well as reptiles, birds, mice and rats and some 30 rabbits.
Dr. Jan Richards provides veterinarian services for farm animals and deer, while the Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital in Port Hadlock “does everyone else,” Penhallegon said.
Adoption fees will be waived during an open house Dec. 6, Penhallegon said.
Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, which is usually open form 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
To see adoptable animals and get applications, visit www.centervalleyanimalrescue.org. Call 360-765-0598 for more information.
Anyone wishing to contribute to CVAR’s Wildlife Fund can send donations to CVAR, 11900 Center Rd., Quilcene, WA 98376.
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Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or at leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.