Outdoors

Safety concerns raised over children playing with fawn in fall leaves

Beyond vibrant colours, crisp air, and cozy clothing, the onset of Fall means lots of leaves to rake. Of course, nothing beats taking a break from the rigours of yard maintenance than a good old-fashioned leaf fight. Horsing around in a leaf pile is a quintessentially Canadian pastime, and almost universally loved by children. Never mind the annoyance to the parents who spent the time making the soon-to-be demolished pile.

But this viral video presents a twist on that classic fall scenario, as a pair of sisters are joined by a white tailed deer faun, which jumps around while they drop armfuls of leaves on its back.

James Vee filmed the encounter between the fawn and his daughters on his property in Wisconsin. He has received criticism for potentially exposing his children to the dangers of Lyme disease, as deer are known to carry ticks which can migrate to humans and pass along the infection. Others have objected that the mother deer might have been nearby, putting the girls in danger of an attack.

Vee defended himself, arguing, “We live outdoors. Being outdoors is not something to be afraid of. It’s something to embrace. We know the dangers of being around deer. We know the dangers of Lyme disease. And we continue will take the inherent risks of living in the country over living in the city or our moms’ basements.”

What’s your opinion? Was Vee acting irresponsibly by letting his children play with the fawn?