A Man Notices a Deer in His Backyard Who Appears to Be Unusual

He’d been stuck like that for five days 😱

A homeowner in Colts Neck, New Jersey, recently had an unusual encounter with a young buck who had gotten his head trapped in a glass bowl. The homeowner initially spotted the animal in his backyard, mistaking it for an otherworldly creature with a brown furry body, spindly legs, and a perfectly circular head resembling an astronaut’s helmet. Upon closer examination, the homeowner realized the animal was actually a young buck that was traveling alone and ostracized by his herd due to his unusual appearance.

The Monmouth County SPCA was contacted for help, along with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, as the buck had been trapped in the glass bowl for several days without food or water. Once the buck was discovered and sedated, the rescue team worked quickly to remove the glass bowl, which turned out to be a light fixture cover that had been filled with water that the deer had tried to drink. The buck was dehydrated and had a couple of scrapes due to poor visibility, but was able to walk away after the sedative had worn off.

However, the young buck still needed some assistance over the Easter weekend. The MCSPCA received another call from a concerned neighbor who noticed that the deer had laid back down and was having difficulty breathing, too weak to find his herd. A veterinary technician from the MCSPCA rushed to the scene and administered fluids to the deer, which appeared to help. After recovering, the young buck rose to his feet, took a few wobbly steps, and then bolted over a fence into a wooded area.

The incident highlights the potential dangers that wild animals can face due to human activity, such as discarded items in the environment. In this case, the young buck was fortunate to have been spotted and rescued in time. The MCSPCA also noted that certain species will treat members as outcasts if they look different or are injured, in order to not invite predators or disrupt the integrity of the herd. The young buck’s experience serves as a reminder to be mindful of the impact our actions can have on the natural world and to do our best to protect and preserve it.