The BC SPCA hotline fields routine calls each winter over deer with potential winterkill 鈥� an often fatal condition that makes the ungulates look weak and thin, and lose their hair.
When they feel unwell, deer may try to hide in yards, gardens, decks or porches trying to stay warm. Residents may even notice diarrhea on their tail or the ground nearby.
While the look may cause concern and a desire to feed, the agency says feeding deer affected by winterkill can make things worse.
The condition is caused by any combination of poor nutrition, parasites and a late birth.
With climate change causing unexpected changes in the season, deer can have a hard time adjusting. On the south coast where the weather is mild, fawn season lasts a little longer, and fawns born later may be smaller as winter approaches, according to the SPCA鈥檚 Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin.
The combination of parasites and nutritional challenges of winter can be especially challenging for young animals coming into their first winter.
Although they look skinny and like they need help, the best plan is to steer clear, and never feed deer. In winter, the animals expand their foraging range to get the nutrition they need. Feeding deer encourages them to stay in one area and the food humans offer is often not digestible or nutritionally appropriate contributing to the illness.
Anyone who finds a sick or injured adult deer unable to move should call the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277 or the BC SPCA animal helpline at 1-855-622-7722 for help to assess the situation.
