Deer put down after rescue in Esquimalt

A trapped deer is rescued on Dec. 27, 2018.

A deer has been put down after it was rescued from between a fence post and a building in Esquimalt on Thursday.

Andrea Wallace, manager of the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC), said they had to make the decision to humanely euthanize the doe due to her injuries and susceptibility of capture myopathy, a non-infectious disease in which muscle damage results from stress, struggle or exertion.

“She would have suffered pretty badly,” Wallace said.

“With an adult deer, there’s not a lot we can do for them,”

The doe was rescued Thursday afternoon by firefighters from CFB Esquimalt and Jeff Krieger from Alternative Wildlife Solutions after the firefighters discovered the trapped deer while refuelling some equipment.

Wallace said it is unknown how long the deer was trapped before she was seen and she had been using the equivalent of her knuckles on one of her legs to try and get free.

If anyone comes across an injured deer, Wallace recommends putting a blanket over the animal if safe, like the CFB Esquimalt firefighters did on Thursday. Wild ARC (1-855-622-7722) or the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (1-877-952-7277) can then be contacted.

“If you cover  the deer’s head right away, it will give them a bit of peace,” Wallace said.

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