Anywhere that animals coexist with humans, there are going to be occasional issues when they cross paths. Humans have slowly expanded where we live, encroaching on land that once belonged completely to wildlife.
Sometimes, animals are an inconvenience to people — such as deer or other animals snacking on your vegetable garden. Other times, people and all of the things they bring along with them can cause danger for the animal inhabitants.
For instance, this deer that somehow ended up with a light fixture stuck on its head.
A man in Colts Neck, New Jersey looked outside and noticed a deer in his yard. That in itself is not the strange, as white-tailed deer are common in this particular residential area. But, this deer appeared to have something stuck on its head.
Upon closer inspection, the homeowner realized that it was a globe light fixture. The poor creature must have put his head in it and gotten stuck.
Called for rescue
The man slowly approached the deer, quickly realizing that he was in distress. He was also alone, a rare sight for this social species that usually live in herds.
The MCSPCA (Monmouth County SPCA) explained the cause in a press release:
“Certain species will treat members as outcasts if they look different or are injured so to not invite predators or disrupt the integrity of the herd.”
Worried about the animal’s health, the man called the MCSPCA and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, hoping to find someone who could help.
Help soon arrived
Help soon arrived and was able to free the trapped deer, who turned out to be a young buck.
“After he was safe to approach, the glass bowl was removed which turned out to be a light fixture cover which probably had been filled with water the deer tried to drink. The buck was dehydrated from 4 days without food and water and had a couple of scrapes probably from the poor visibility but was able to get up and walk away after we cleaned him up and the sedative had worn off,” MCSPCA wrote in a Facebook post.
A heartwarming rescue story for this rainy Friday morning! Yesterday a homeowner in Colts Neck called us to alert us of…
Posted by Monmouth County SPCA on Friday, March 30, 2018
Once the deer was freed and able to walk on his own, everyone thought that the ordeal was over. However, the concerned homeowner once again called for help when he discovered that the deer had not left the yard, was lying down, and struggling to breathe.
For the time he had been trapped, he was not able to eat or drink and was weak and dehydrated. Once again, help hurried out to the home to save the deer.
Administered fluids
Veterinary technician, Deann Bowen, arrived on the scene and quickly administered fluids to the weak and exhausted deer. Fortunately, this seemed to be all he needed to get back on his feet again.
“We could tell he was completely dehydrated by the way he looked,” Deann said in the press release. “After we administered the fluids his head perked right up, and after a few minutes his breathing returned to normal.”
The deer was able to get up and walk away on his own. After a bit of time, it seems that this deer survived his ordeal and went back to his herd.
“The Monmouth County SPCA has been told that there is no longer a single deer feeding, so it is happily assumed that he has rejoined his herd.”
Thank goodness for the kind man who reported the trapped animal and for his kind rescuers. Please like and share this amazing wildlife rescue!
