RSPCA: Deer rescued after being caught by the antlers

Friday, 8 October 2010 12:00 AM

A large fallow deer was rescued after making frantic attempts to escape a rope which had become entangled in his antlers.

Greens men working at the Wrekin Golf Club in Wellington, Telford came across the buck ensnared by a rope used to cordon-off a boggy bit of woodland at the edge of the course. RSPCA inspectors were called to the scene on Monday (October 4) and found the adult male, who was particularly large and strong, in an agitated state as he struggled to free himself.

Footage taken at the scene by RSPCA staff shows the mammal trying to make his increasingly frustrated escape into the woods but being yanked back. The metal spikes which had been holding up the rope had been pulled out and the tip of one of the buck's antlers had been snapped off in the struggle.

RSPCA inspector Nayman Dunderdale said: "When we first arrived we couldn't get anywhere near to the deer. "He was petrified and thrashing about in a very lively way - jumping about six or seven feet in the air at times. "It was only when he got so tangled up in a tree that we could get close enough to restrain him. It took three of us to hold him down and release him from the rope.

"He collapsed for about 10 minutes in complete exhaustion, but then seemed fine. He was last seen bounding away into the woods like Bambi."

Notes to editors:

- Footage and image of the deer trapped in the wood is available upon request on 0300 123 0244/0288. Our you can download the footage from http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=WTNMZm1XRSt3TGhFQlE9PQ
- Interviews are also available on request.

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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