Save Rudolf Deer

Help Stop A Council Killing This Blokes New BFF, An Adorable Baby Deer Called Rudolph

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With only three sleeps until Christmas, Victorian farmhand Andrew Foots is hoping for a miracle.

A baby deer that he rescued – aptly named Rudolph – has been snatched by the council with the intention to put the little fur-baby down.

Authorities from the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources won a court order on Friday to euthanise Rudolph, by claiming the (little adorable baby) fawn could pose a danger to public safety.

BUNCH. OF. GRINCHES.

 

Foots spoke with TheVine, saying:

“I’m a farmhand, I nursed Rudolph back to health, feeding him every 3 hours – and now I’m facing criminal charges.

It’s crazy, he needs our help! Please help me save him – urgently ask the Victorian government to release Rudolph to an animal sanctuary!”

[easy-tweet tweet=””Please help me save him. Urgently ask the #VicGov to release Rudolph to an animal sanctuary!”” usehashtags=”no”]

The young lad from Mansfield has created the #SaveRudolph petition with the aim of finding support for his mission.

Please sign the petition! Thank you to everybody, who has already done so!??#saverudolph

Posted by Help Andrew save Rudolph. #saverudolph on Thursday, 17 December 2015

 

The campaign is starting to gain traction, with 18,000 signatures ahead of the 25,000 goal. Foots says:

“We hope to exceed that number. The more support we get the better. It would be great if we got over 25,000.”

The move to euthanise the animal comes at a time that the Victoria is carrying out a costly deer-cull, funded by Parks Victoria and Australian Government’s National Landcare Program across Alpine National Park – a bushy area near Mansfield. The fawn was abandoned and distressed when Mr Foots found him; likely to be the result of this program.

As part of the efforts, Foots has written an open letter on Change.org to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, where he explains the story:

“I rescued Rudolph the baby deer, after I found him alone and skinny in the bush – but the authorities have seized him and will kill him unless we stop them.

Look at this face Danny-boy – could you really slay Rudolph this Christmas?

https://twitter.com/briannatravers/status/676705272279097345

 

Foots Attorney Daniel Beecher told Daily Mail Australia:

“It’s the dirty secret of recreational shooting – what happens to the children whose parents are shot. There are plenty of recreational shooters in the department who want to sweep this under the rug,”

“I’m not sure why they are claiming the deer is dangerous, yet sanctuaries keep wildlife’s like snakes. It’s a conflict of interest really because the approach comes from shooters.”

As Foots waits for the council’s response, the fawn remains in a secret location until the appeal is decided on 18 February 2016 at Shepparton County Court.

The young dude is surely missing his new friend that he spent eight days nursing back to good health.

The Foots family is appealing to the public to sign the petition they created to demand Rudolph be safely re-homed. Foots’ sister Rachel said they were hoping to present the completed petition to the magistrate, to demonstrate the number of people that want keep Rudolph alive.

Let us wish for a Christmas miracle! Share the Christmas spirit by signing the petition here.

As ROY puts it…