Injured baby deer found on Thatcham footpath

Passers-by take distressed animal to Newbury vet

THE kindness of strangers saved a one-week-old baby muntjac's life when she was found injured on a footpath off Lower Way, Thatcham, near the Nature Discovery Centre.

Andy Donaldson and his wife Aimee were taking a stroll with their dog at about 7pm last night, when they spotted the injured creature.

Mr Donaldson said: "We could see that it had a head injury and it just lay there not responding to anything.

"We had a dog bowl with us, so we put some water in that, but it didn't move. My wife took our dog home – as it was getting a bit over excited – and phoned the RSPCA, but they were unable to help."

Mr Donaldson stayed with the deer for about an hour, when another passer-by suggested they get the injured animal to Falkland Vets, which was still open and happy to take her in.

"On the way to the vets, the muntjac took a sip of water from the bowl and was bit more responsive," said Mr Donaldson, "but I was very grateful that lady came along and helped. I wouldn't have known what to do otherwise."

Falkland Vets practice manager Nicola said: "We occasionally get deer brought into us, but this is possibly the youngest at only a week old. She is doing ok, but has a head injury inflicted by another animal, so not surprisingly she is a little traumatised by her ordeal."

Nicola said that the practice will keep the baby muntjac safe until they are satisfied that the injury is healing. The young deer is feeding off lamb's milk and when she is ready will go to a wildlife reserve until she can be returned to her natural habitat.

And just to add to the baby fun last night, the vets are also hand rearing and weaning a baby wild rabbit that was found abandoned at the bottom of someone's garden and some ducklings that were found by the canal after their mother was frightened off by a dog.

Nicola said: "Again someone will look after the rabbit until they feel it is ready to go back to its natural habitat – although if it becomes domesticated, it may stay as a family pet."

Pictures: Falkland Vets