THE RSPCA has shared a video of a distressed deer that found itself trapped in Lancashire.

The male roe deer was saved by the animal charity after its antlers became entangled in netting.

When a passer-by spotted the struggling wild animal near Longridge they contacted the animal charity for help.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer, Kat Newman, said: “This frantic buck was trapped by the antlers in black netting which had been suspended between some trees. It was in a rural setting and the netting had possibly been put up to stop people accessing the area.

“I could see that the ground around the deer was very churned up and muddy, so the poor animal had probably been struggling for a while. He was a large, very active deer, so I asked my colleague Inspector Carl Larsson for help.  

Lancashire Telegraph: The deer was trapped in Longridge (Photo: RSPCA)The deer was trapped in Longridge (Photo: RSPCA)

“The more the deer thrashed and the tighter he became entangled, then the more he panicked.  We were getting very concerned. Deer are very sensitive to stress and can go downhill fast, so we knew he needed freeing as soon as possible. It was a very difficult situation as he was a big lad and was thrashing around.”

Thankfully, the story has a happy ending and neither the deer nor any passers by were injured in the rescue.

 

 

Kat Newman said: “We managed to gently restrain the deer before cutting the netting away from him.

“Luckily, he appeared unharmed from his ordeal. After ensuring he would not be endangered by traffic, we released him and he dashed off into the nearby bushes.

“Before we left, we removed the remaining netting as it was clearly unsafe for wildlife.”  

What to do if you spot an trapped wild animal

The following animals can't be handled or transported by the public:

  • an injured deer
  • seal
  • wild boar
  • otter
  • badger
  • fox
  • snake
  • bird of prey (including owls)
  • swan
  • goose
  • heron
  • gull.

Never try to free an animal from a snare or trap - you risk hurting yourself and the animal and it could be an offence if the animal was legally caught.

Stay back to avoid stressing the animal and call the RSPCA with the location.

For more information about what to do if you find a wild animal in need of help, please visit the RSPCA’s website.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit our website or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181.


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