Trapped deer freed from football net in Cheltenham
The animal got tangled at a property in Charlton Kings.
Last updated 27th Mar 2024
A trapped deer has been freed from a garden in Cheltenham.
The animal got tangled in a football net at a property in Charlton Kings on the morning of Wednesday 13 March.
The householders contacted the RSPCA for help - and fortunately the deer was safely rescued.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Freya Lamb said: “The football netting was completely tangled up around this poor little muntjac deer’s mouth and tusks. He was squealing loudly and desperately thrashing around, trying to free himself. But there was no way he was going to gain his freedom without some help.
“I used a special grasper to hold him steady while I checked him over. Luckily, other than a couple of superficial scrapes on his legs, he looked unharmed, so I cut the net away from the front of him. The deer managed to extricate his rump and back legs by himself and then immediately bounded away into the woods.”
The RSPCA receives hundreds of calls every year to rescue animals - often wildlife - who have become tangled in sports or garden netting. Getting caught up in netting is very stressful for an animal, particularly one that is wild. And if the animal gets seriously entangled, netting - whether it’s used for sports, fencing or the garden - can cause severe injuries or even death.
Freya added: “Thanks to the householders quick thinking, we were able to reach this stressed animal in the nick of time. But the outcome could have been very different.
“We would urge those using nets for sports to remove and store them after their game and put any discarded or old netting safely in a bin. This is a great way people can help create a better and kinder world for wild animals.”