Michigan deer won't be euthanized by DNR after uproar from lawmakers, animal rights group

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Peanut the deer. Video via Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG)

(FOX 2) - A visually-impaired deer will be held at a facility instead of being euthanized after a late-Thursday decision to issue a permit allowing the fawn to be held at a rehab facility.

Named Peanut by the Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG), which was behind efforts to keep the animal from being euthanized, the organization announced it will now serve as "an educational ambassador."

According to DAWG, Peanut will be moved to the Howell Nature Center.

Michigan fawn escapes euthanasia

The DNR announced in a news release on Thursday this was one of the rare occurrences where a wild animal would be kept at a facility rather than humanely killed due to its impairment.

In previous posts by the animal welfare organization, the DNR had rebuffed efforts to move Peanut into a rehab facility because the request came after Sept. 15.

"Something is not right when people have to fight against the government to save the lives of animals," the organization posted on social media on Oct. 14.

Fawns that are held at rehab facilities must be released into the wild by Oct. 1 to give them time to reacquaint themselves with food resource locations before winter. If they are kept past that deadline, the deer are normally euthanized because they would not be equipped to survive the colder months.

"Fawns and other white-tailed deer are native species of wild animals that belong in the wild. They aren’t meant to be pets," said John Pepin, DNR deputy public information officer. "If they remain in rehab facilities beyond early October and are later released, they won’t be able to survive in the wild over the wintertime."

The backstory:

The Detroit Animal Welfare Group is based out of Romeo. They have feuded with the DNR in the past over keeping their rehab license. The issue was caring for wild animals by leaving out food for deer and coyotes.

Currently, the DNR is in litigation with DAWG over a case involving a coyote that's in the organization's possession. The case is pending and the DNR has declined to comment on its status.

The law dealing with wild animals of special concern deals with Wildlife Conservation Order 5.74, which states " Live wild deer shall not be possessed without a permit from the department."

The reason is tied to issues of wild animals surviving on their own and managing diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease, which can be transmitted between deer.

The rule adds that only fawns can be possessed for wildlife rehabilitation. Those that are kept must be released by Oct. 1. Only a recommendation from a Michigan licensed veterinarian can prevent its release or euthanasia.

Zoom out:

In the case of Peanut, a veterinarian examined the fawn and issued a final report to the DNR, which granted a Live Animal Programs permit, which authorizes it to be kept at a facility for educational purposes.

Any animals that cannot be released must have been permanently injured and are non-releasable.

"The plight of this wild fawn has generated tremendous bipartisan support from legislators and people across Michigan and beyond," Pepin said. "It is encouraging to see so much goodwill directed toward Michigan’s wild animals. This is likely to help ensure support for wildlife conservation and sound wildlife management heading into the future."

Multiple lawmakers chimed in from both sides of the aisle in support of Peanut.

"Peanut's life is at risk due to a bureaucratic technicality — a missed deadline for an education permit application that is not clearly stated in any regulation," read a letter from state Rep. Angela Rigas, who called the situation "government overreach."

The letter was signed by both Democrats and Republicans.

The Source: A news release from the DNR, posts from an animal welfare group, and a wildlife order was cited for this story.

Wild Nature Michigan Department of Natural Resources