A young deer found itself wedged between two fences in southern Alberta. However, the immobilized deer caught a bit of luck after local authorities arrived to help.
For the police on scene, a quiet neighborhood call turned into a tense wildlife rescue, with officers working to free the animal without making the situation worse.
Here's what to know
At about 7:50 a.m. on Sept. 29, Taber police were dispatched to the Prairie Gold area, where a deer was lodged between two fences and bleating loudly as officers tried to help.
As CityNews reported, the video shows Senior Constable Evanson and Constable MacDougall first securing the deer's head with a catch pole and then pulling a hood over it, a move intended to help keep the animal calmer during the rescue.
Taber police said the officers "quickly developed a plan to safely free the deer," then worked with the homeowner to release the animal's back legs and lift it over the fences. The police social media post added that once they removed the hood and pole, the deer "bounced away to freedom!!"
The footage captures the rescue as the deer protests. While securing the hood, one officer laughed and said, "It doesn't like that," then moments later shifted to a more cautious tone and added, "Don't want to choke it."
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The deer was trapped between two fences in a residential setting, with houses, people, and cars nearby, which likely added to the animal's confusion.
What's being done?
The response was calculated. The police and homeowner remained calm and planned their movements before rushing in.
Rather than trying to force the animal free, they handled the rescue in stages. First, the officers controlled the deer's head, then covered its eyes, next they carefully freed its legs, and finally lifted it over the fence line.
After setting the animal down, it bleated loudly, likely distraught and disoriented by the whole experience. In the end, it bounced away to freedom.
As Taber police put it: "Our members are always prepared to assist our community, whatever the call may be."
Where can I learn more?
Wildlife rescues like this one happen in all kinds of human-made settings. Related coverage includes deer rescues in Georgia and India, fence-related conflicts in Africa, a Texas deer-smuggling case, and volunteers rescuing swans from a busy highway.
• In Georgia, Department of Natural Resources responders cut away plastic tubing from a deer before releasing it.
• Near an Indian city parking lot, officials carried out a distressing deer rescue as crowds gathered.
• Across parts of Africa, communities face treacherous encounters with wildlife as fencing costs climb.
• In Texas, officials uncovered the state's largest-ever smuggling ring involving deer moved across county lines.
• On a busy highway, volunteers spotted swans weaving in and out of traffic before rescuing them.
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