SOKD was formed in part as a follow-on effort by Florida Keys resident volunteers who worked with federal and state wildlife agencies and the US Dept. of Agriculture to save and protect the federally endangered Key Deer during a devastating screwworm outbreak during 2016-early 2017. The organization’s mission statement is: “To advocate on behalf of the Florida Key Deer population to ensure they receive ethical treatment and protection and to reduce human-caused illness, injury and death.”