A six-legged fawn was recovered in the Everett Springs community this weekend after it sustained injuries from two dogs.
Melissa and Alan Dunagan were out walking when their dogs chased the fawn, separating it from its mother. “It wasn’t until after we put the dogs back in the house and were about to release the fawn that we realized it had six legs,” said Melissa Dunagan.
“It received minor injuries from the dogs, but is now recovering at West Rome Animal Clinic and doing quite well,” said George Gallagher, a professor of Animal Science at Berry College.
“It is really an anomaly,” said West Rome Animal Clinic veterinarian Dan Pate. “It appears it had an identical twin that didn’t form all the way.”
Because of the injuries the fawn received, one of its two tails was amputated.
X-rays show the fawn has two distinct pelvises. To walk, the fawn uses one leg from each pelvis.
“Somehow it has a fairly normal gait, although the center legs seem to get in the way,” said Pate.
Click here for video of the six-legged deer.
Ted Touchstone, an employee at the Department of Natural Resources for 34 years, said he has never seen anything like the fawn. He, along with Gallagher, decided to bring the fawn in for medical treatment.
“The reason we all did what we did was to preserve the animal momentarily so the Georgia Department of Natural Resources could deem what was the appropriate thing to do,” Touchstone said.
He suspects the animal will be taken to the deer facility at the University of Georgia.
“It should be stressed that 99 percent of the time fawns are assumed to be needing rescued, they are just fine,” said Gallagher, “It is not uncommon for the moms to leave the babies for extended periods of time. Under most conditions, leaving the fawn alone is the best thing that can happen to ensure its survival.”
