Baby deer, or fawns, are typically born April through July.
After fawns are born, they are often left alone while their mothers feed or look for food.
They also stay away from their fawn to avoid leading predators to them.
The mother deer returns at dawn and dusk to feed the fawn and move them if necessary.
Unfortunately, some people assume baby deer are orphaned when they find them alone.
They immediately take them, with good intentions, but unintentionally become “fawn-nappers.”
When Dawn Rasmussen and her husband found a fawn, the first thing they did was check with a vet to ensure that they weren’t taking a fawn away from its mother.
In May 2020, Dawn Rasmussen’s husband was in their yard when he heard a sound like a sheep bleating.
He walked towards the sound and the baby deer ended up standing on his foot.
They immediately called the vet, who determined he was abandoned after examining him.
The mother deer most likely passed away.
Dawn and her husband named the baby deer Thor.
The vet didn’t have any space to take in Thor, so he was sent home with the Rasmussens instead, making them instant “deer parents.”
“Throughout this entire journey with him, I’ve been very clear that he was never going to be a pet, and I was going to raise him as a wild animal,” Dawn told GeoBeats Animals.
They made a large outdoor enclosure for Thor.
Dawn slept outside in a tent near Thor for the first month and a half to keep him safe at night.
From May to September, Dawn fed Thor with a baby bottle every three hours. For the first few months, Dawn cared for him completely.
She brushed his fur, nurtured him, and even taught him to look for food that deer eat.
After he turned four months old, he was out in the wild.
He would come and go, but when Dawn would call out his name and say, “Thor, milky!” he would appear and drink his bottle of goat’s milk.
If Dawn wasn’t outside with a bottle and Thor was hungry, he would go on their deck and wait on a floor mat for Dawn to come out.
Today, Thor is part of a 28-member local deer herd and goes away for long periods, but comes back to visit Dawn.
Her house is part of his home range, and Thor and other deer often hang out in her yard.
Dawn considers Thor her friend, and their bond grew closer when Thor showed up with a leg injury.
She cared for his wound, massaged his leg, and did physical therapy exercises with him.
The bond between Dawn and Thor is truly something special.
Dawn said that Thor taught her how to listen deeper to the outdoors and pay more attention to the world around her.
This video has been viewed almost two million times and touched many hearts.
“Thank you, being there for Thor has given him the love and the chance he really needed. What a beautiful experience!” said one comment.
Another said, “This is one of the best stories! Made me smile from ear to ear throughout.”
We’re so happy that Dawn and Thor share such a beautiful bond rarely seen between humans and wild animals.
If you find a fawn in the wild, check with a professional to determine if it is truly abandoned before taking it away from the area.
Fawns still survive best under their mother’s care.
Watch the video of Dawn and Thor below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
