Guy Spots A Deer In His Backyard—Who Looks A Little Different

Written by Colin Leggett

The Monmouth County SPCA received a call from a concerned citizen in Colts Neck, New Jersey after he spotted a white-tailed deer with its head apparently stuck in a glass bowl. He also noticed that the young deer appeared to have been separated from his herd. The MCSPCA immediately went out to assess the situation.

The Monmouth County SPCA sent its Humane Law Enforcement and Animal Control to see what was happening. What they found after finding the deer and sedating it was that the glass bowl was, in fact, an old light fixture. It was assumed that it had at one point been filled with water which the male white-tailed deer tried to drink, thus getting his head stuck inside.

The rescue of the white-tailed deer took place over the entire Easter weekend, with teams from the MCSPCA as well as the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife working together to free the young buck from his unfortunate situation. The story is one of human kindness and our innate need to help any living creature in its time of need.

The homeowner who called in the situation not only noticed the strange appearance of the deer but also that it was wandering around the woods alone, which is uncommon.

White-tailed deer will typically travel in herds, but according to the MCSPCA website, “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.”

The deer was humanely sedated and the MSPCA teams worked to remove the light fixture from the deer’s head. The deer was also tagged so they could track it later on.

The MCSPCA teams also noted that the deer had sustained some minor wounds, presumed to have been inflicted due to low visibility while his head was stuck in the light fixture.

Eventually, the deer appeared to regain his strength. The team from the MCSPCA waited to see that the deer had recovered and left the site.

However, the MCSPCA received another call from the same homeowner saying that the deer seemed to be disoriented and that it had laid down. It also appeared to have trouble breathing.

With the help of MCSPCA veterinary tech Deann Bowen, 600ml of fluids were administered to the deer. Bowen was quoted on the MCSPCA website saying “After we administered the fluids his head perked right up, and after a few minutes his breathing returned to normal.”

According to their website, the MCSPCA had not received any more reports about a lone deer, so they assumed it had rejoined its herd. This is a stunning example of how humans can help animals, even in the wild.