Bay Area resident admits to capturing wild animal, keeping it at home for weeks

A suspect was cited for illegally capturing and keeping a baby deer in a cage outside of their Sonoma County home, the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association said in a news release on Wednesday. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, told authorities they found the fawn in the wild and had been keeping it on their property for more than three weeks.

According to the news release, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Cameron Blechert visited the home after receiving a report that a group of people had captured the fawn. He allegedly found it in the yard, sitting in a dog crate.

Columbian black-tailed deer, a subspecies of mule deer, are abundant throughout Sonoma County and the rest of the Bay Area. Native to California, they can be found from the Berkeley Hills to Tilden Regional Park and Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area, but frequently wander into residential neighborhoods, too. They're also becoming easier to spot: In April, CDFW officials issued a warning to "leave baby deer alone" as late spring and early fall are peak times for new fawns to be born.

Mother deer can leave their young in tall grass for up to a day while they are out foraging for food. Jeff Stoddard, a wildlife program manager from the CDFW's Northern Region, said that every year, the agency receives reports of people taking baby deer because they appear to be abandoned or in distress. But because the fawns lack the survival skills their mothers would have taught them, they cannot be released back into the wild if they are taken into captivity.

"Long-term captivity in zoos or other wildlife sanctuaries is unlikely due to limited space availability," the CDFW said in April. "Consequently, the fawns are often euthanized."

In this case, the fawn was transported to a permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility, and officials plan to release it back into the wild once it is older.

Keeping a deer in your personal possession is a misdemeanor crime subject to penalties of up to $1,000 or six months in jail, the CDFW said. If you encounter one on your next walk, keep a safe distance from it and leave it where it belongs. Deer sightings can also be reported to your regional CDFW office.

"We thank our CSLEA and ACWO member, Wildlife Officer Cameron Blechert, for his investigation which has led to the release of this young wild animal," California Statewide Law Enforcement Association President Alan Barcelona said in the news release. "Like CDFW, we remind members of the public to respect nature and all that it has to offer, and to follow the law as it applies to California's fish and game."

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