A deer has been rescued and released by the RSPCA and London Fire Brigade (LFB) after getting stuck in a garden gate in West Finchley, north London.
The distressed animal was spotted struggling by a child on their way to school at around 8am on 20 January, at a property in Fursby Avenue. The child alerted the tenants, who immediately contacted the RSPCA.
Animal rescue officer Ellie Barnes-Wilson attended the scene and quickly realised the deer was wedged too tightly to be freed without additional help. She called the LFB for assistance.
Ellie said: “The deer was very tightly wedged and could not be pulled free. The fire bridge arrived quickly and used specialist equipment to widen the bars, allowing the animal to be released.
“The deer was understandably confused at first, but then ran off into a nearby garden where they were able to rest.
“We work closely with the fire service on some rescues and they use exercises like this for training. We’re always incredibly grateful for their support.
“Deer are particularly susceptible to stress and therefore in many cases they do not survive for very long after being trapped due to stress-induced muscle breakdown, meaning that in many cases it’s kinder and the best option for animal welfare to put them to sleep to prevent the risk of a painful death hours later. It’s wonderful on this occasion, after a careful assessment, that we were able to release the deer back to the wild.”
For more information about what to do if you find a deer in trouble, visit https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/deer
