(Smithtown, NY)…On Tuesday morning, while coming back from a Legislative Committee meeting, Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta spotted a deer that had been hit by a car and a man performing CPR on one baby fawn while another baby was walking near Sunken Meadow Parkway. Trotta stopped and secured the fawn that was starting to wander. He then called Sweetbriar Nature Center to ask if someone from the Center could come and provide assistance as it appeared the mother had just given birth to two fawns immediately after being hit. The Good Samaritan performed CPR on one fawn for 30 minutes. “Despite everyone’s efforts, only one baby survived. An employee from the Center wrapped the fawn in a blanket and brought it back to Sweetbriar, where he was fed a bottle of colostrum, which he would normally get nursing from his mom,” according to Janine Bendicksen, Curator, Wildlife Rehabilitation Director at Sweetbriar.
The Sweetbriar Nature Center is a not-for-profit corporation based in Smithtown, NY. It provides educational programs for residents of all ages and offers native wildlife rehabilitation services. Sweetbriar’s website (www.sweetbriarnc.org) has a section dedicated to what to do if you find an animal that needs help.
Suffolk County Legislator Trotta said that, “I am thrilled that Sweetbriar Nature Center is in my district and I visit it often. The staff was so responsive to the call for help and arrived on the scene immediately. The programs they provide not only benefit our residents, but also all animals, birds, insects, reptiles and mammals.” “The real hero is the man who stopped and did CPR on the fawn for 30 minutes in an effort to save him, I would like to thank him and if he sees this article I hope he will call my office as I have been trying to locate him. My number is 631-854-3900.
“Thank you Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta for stopping to make the life-saving call about the deer to Sweetbriar and thank you Good Samaritan for trying to save the sibling by performing CPR for ½ hour! It takes a village…We are grateful to be able to save one more little life,” added Janine Bendicksen.