Sarah Brookes holds the fawn she rescued from drowning.

The rescued fawn (in red circle) runs off to safety.

While waterskiing at Lake Hogan (Valley Springs, California), in June 2006, we witnessed two dogs, whose owners had left them on an island while water skiing to run around, chasing two does and a fawn. 

The deer jumped into the lake and the dogs continued to swim after them. We attempted to watch for oncoming boats to warn them of the deer in the lake and get the dogs onto our boat while watching the baby to make sure it could make it across.

About halfway across (total distance from mainland to island was about one-half mile) the fawn start heading in circles and going under the water. We raced over, while pulling our daughter, Sarah, behind on a large water tube to the fawn. Sarah dove off the tube and grabbed the fawn as it
was going under. We could not bring them into the boat since we had the two dogs (culprits) on board so we tried to pull them with the tube, however the current of the water made this impossible. 

We were able to flag down another boat who then retrieved Sarah and the fawn. We took it to where we saw the does get out of the water and released it. The fawn immediately went to a bush and we noticed the female in the distance so we took off so that the mother could get the fawn. 

We came back later and they were both gone. We found the
owners of the dogs and informed them of what had happened. They never thought that deer would be out on an island.

Happy Ending.

Please read Marjorie Davis' article Of Dogs & Deer.