Goat milk sought by Howell Nature Center for hungry, rehabbing fawns
HOWELL — Goat milk suppliers, listen up!
The Howell Nature Center, at 1005 Triangle Lake Road, has seven orphaned or injured baby deer in its rehabilitation clinic, and they're running low on supplies to keep the growing fawns happy and healthy.
The nature center feeds the fawns goat milk. In a Wednesday Facebook post, the center asked community members to consider providing any extra milk of the goat variety.
"If you are a goat farmer, or know a goat farmer, and are in a position to provide fresh milk for our fawns, we would be eternally grateful," the post said. "Please reach out here or give us a call at 517-548-5530 if you can help."
The rehab clinic nurtures and provides refuge for all native species of birds and mammals except skunks, bats, raccoons and adult deer, according to its website. However, according to the clinic's voicemail, it's not currently taking birds due to high levels of avian diseases.
More LSJ stories about baby animals:
10's company! Potter Park Zoo welcomes two more endangered cotton-top tamarin monkeys
Potter Park Zoo's rare black rhino calf, Jaali, to move to new zoo this fall
Typically, community members come across the animals in need of care, and report them to the nature center's officials, said Patty Rudd, the center's director of community impact. Rudd said the fawns have come in throughout the last two months.
"They come in, typically, on their own, and we put them together in a herd, because that's how we care for them," Rudd said. "And then we actually release our herds on site, so we soft release them in the fall."
In general, she said the deer are displaced from their habitats by the growing human impact in the area.
Rudd said they have seen a great number of responses to their goat milk inquiry.
"It's something we go through a lot of, so if it's something that people can set up regular donations or anything like that, it's super helpful," Rudd said. "It's super helpful for us, because we'll also freeze it ... and keep it for later on."
Rudd said the nature center, as well as other nonprofit organizations and rehab facilities in the area, can always benefit from community support, especially in caring for fawns. She also said anyone can call them directly and use them as a resource to answer questions about wildlife.
"People sometimes call because they're having an issue with something in their garden, like how to humanely deter rabbits from getting into things," Rudd said. "Our clinic is busy, but that's a big thing that we do is talk to people about that kind of stuff. It's a resource for the community."
Contact reporter Jared Weber at 517-582-3937 or jtweber@lsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Goat milk sought by Howell Nature Center for hungry fawns
