Off-leash dog fatally injured fawn at Cambria nature preserve. Its owners broke the law

On July 4, an off-leash dog chasing a fawn on the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria led to the fawn’s fatal injury.

Elaine and Jim Anderson, whose property backs up onto the ranch, were alerted that something was wrong when they heard voices in their garden.

They found two strangers on their property who said their unleashed dog had pursued a fawn there. The dog was no longer on site.

After requesting that the men leave, the homeowners found the injured fawn trying to conceal itself under a shrub. Its back legs appeared to be broken and it was unable to stand.

Hoping that the fawn would recover, and knowing that their attention was causing the animal more stress, the Andersons retreated into the house.

A doe and another fawn kept an eye on the injured baby deer all night.

When the fawn could not sit up the following morning, the homeowners called the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which assessed the animal’s condition and transferred it to Pacific Wildlife Care in Morro Bay for treatment. The nonprofit organization treats injured animals with the goal of returning them to the wild.

Although witnesses to the incident were not available, it appears that the fawn was running for its life when it collided with a fence.

The deer’s injuries were consistent with those from a car impact, so it must have been truly terrified. Damage to its spine was fatal and it died three days later.

Dogs a frequent sight at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve

The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is a haven for people and wildlife alike. Over the years we have seen bobcats, gray and red foxes, deer, long-tailed weasels, rabbits and many other terrestrial mammals.

Among the most frequently sighted animals, though, are dogs.

We do not know how many dogs visit the ranch but over the course of a year, donations to Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve provide more than 96,000 Mutt Mitts for their use. It is safe to say that a lot of dogs visit and that they are welcome on the ranch.

The owners of the dog that attacked the deer were vacation renters.

But people walk their dogs off leash every day on the ranch in defiance of San Luis Obispo County law.

SLO County law requires leash use in public spaces

In 1990, San Luis Obispo County passed a law requiring that dogs that are outdoors in unincorporated public spaces must be leashed or at heel.

Leashed dogs must be under the control of the person holding the leash. At heel means that the the dog is following at a person’s heel, is under control rather than capable of being brought under control and is within arm’s reach.

During the national health emergency, Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and Cambria Community Services District have been reminding visitors that the county leash law applies on the ranch, a public space. We have placed signs at all the major trail heads citing the law. Community response has been generally positive to our efforts to reduce close interactions.

In addition, an off-leash dog park on East Fiscalini Ranch offers an option for dogs to run freely without endangering others. If the dog is not well enough trained for the dog park, why would it be considered well trained enough for the ranch where dogs and people abound?

We regularly hear complaints about off-leash dogs acting aggressively at the Fisalini Ranch Preserve. Dogs are menaced by other dogs, and people are threatened and even knocked down by dogs.

No dog owner wants to think that their beloved friend would cause real harm, but the harm is done. A pack of dogs pulling at your clothes may not bite you, but it sure ruins your day and makes you want to avoid the ranch.

The off-leash dog that attacked the fawn on July 4 did not bite the wild animal, but its actions led directly to the fawn’s death.

The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve exists to serve the community and to preserve the special habitats found on the Central Coast. As there are few other safe places to go, more people are turning to the ranch for recreation.

That’s why it’s more important than ever that each of us takes personal responsibility for how we and our pets impact those around us.

This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 5:05 AM.