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Princeton deer released from bondage

After tranquilizing the animal wildlife experts cut a pipe encircling its leg
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A wildlife biologist and a technician used a rotary cutting tool to remove the PVC pipe from the deer’s front leg. Photo Ed Atkinson

A Princeton doe was released from bondage last week by provincial experts who were contacted by the town’s bylaw officer.

Ed Atkinson said his office received reports about the animal over several months.

Callers reported the deer – a fawn or yearling – appeared to have a pipe wrapped around its front leg. Her ability to walk freely was impaired, but there was no easy or safe way for bystanders to help.

“It would be dangerous to engage wildlife without special training,” said Atkinson.

After conversations with the ministry and conservation officers, a senior wildlife biologist and a wildlife technician agreed to visit Princeton and give it a shot.

Literally.

They put the deer to sleep with a tranquilizing projectile and then used a handheld rotary power tool to cut the PVC pipe into two pieces.

Before the procedure the deer was “favouring that leg. It wasn’t using it for weight bearing.”

Afterwards the animal received a shot to revive it, she walked a few meters and then bedded down to recover.

The deer must have stepped inside the pipe, when it was younger and smaller, said Atkinson. The leg grew around it and the pipe became embedded.

“It’s kind of like a (tight) ring on your finger,” Atkinson explained.

That the community and professionals came together to aid this deer is a feel-good story, Atkinson added, however the way the impairment occurred is not.

He said too many animals in residential areas are injured and sometimes even die because they encounter garbage, construction materials and other dangers in alleys and backyards.

“If you leave that stuff laying out, wildlife is going to interact with it and sometimes it’s a negative.”

Related: WildSafeBC offers common sense advice on animal encounters

Related: Princeton RCMP euthanize injured deer at roadside

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Andrea DeMeer

About the Author: Andrea DeMeer

Andrea is the publisher of the Similkameen Spotlight.
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