Officer Saves Terrified Deer Trapped in Fence Posts
An animal welfare officer from Oregon is being praised for saving a frightened baby deer trapped in between two fence posts.
The Oregonian reported that the fawn was first noticed by a woman who was walking by with her children.
The woman notified police, and officer Shawni McLaughlin of the Eugene Police Department was the one to respond.
McLaughlin approached the baby deer with a calming confidence, wearing thick gloves and speaking softly.
“You’re OK,” McLaughlin said. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
She didn’t hesitate to rescue the animal, a heartwarming effort that was recorded on her bodycam.
Carefully placing a towel over the fawn’s head, McLaughlin lifted the deer into her arms. She heaved him up and over the fence, gently placing him on the ground.
The deer appeared to have an open wound on his hip, and McLaughlin wasn’t sure if it would able to stand.
“You’re OK, it’s OK,” she said to the animal while gently petting its body. “Can you walk, buddy?”
She lifted the towel off the deer’s head, and watched as a sense of awareness seemed to return to its mind. The deer quickly found its footing and bolted away.
It’s all in a day’s work for an animal welfare officer, who one day is rescuing caged animals from abusive homes and the next, lifting a baby deer over a fence.
McLaughlin is one of many officers who has come into recent news headlines for showing compassion to animals in need.
In July, members of the California Highway Patrol were praised for rescuing an orphaned fawn from the raging Carr wildfire.
The fawn “thanked” an officer with a nuzzle and a kiss, captured in a photo that has also spread like wildfire.
In times where news headlines involving the police are often aggressively negative, many viewers are grateful to see the commitment to serve and protect lived out by one of the Eugene Police Department’s finest.
It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the local animal welfare organizations in your area, so that you can quickly call for help if need be.
Find the phone numbers online and plug them into your phone — you never know when you may be able to help safe an animal’s life.
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