The deer who did a real-life Bambi after getting stuck on frozen pond

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Oh deer! The doe with her back legs splaying and front ones bent on a frozen pond in Fareham, Hampshire


Looking like the cartoon Bambi, this deer struggles to get back on her feet after slipping on the ice.

But unlike in the classic Disney film, it was the fire brigade rather than best chum Thumper the rabbit who had to come to the rescue.

Concerned motorists dialled 999 after spotting the doe which had become trapped after venturing out onto the 45ft wide pond in Fareham, Hampshire.

She was seen with her back legs splaying while her front legs bent and buckled.
Animal Rescue specialist Buster Brown raced to the frozen scene along with fire crews and an RSPCA inspector to free the fallow deer.’

‘The deer appeared to have exhausted itself whilst trying to escape from the ice and was stuck in the middle of the pond on the ice.’

Using the same techniques that would be used to free a human caught in the same situation, two ice rescue paths were inflated and pushed out towards the dear by four firefighters wearing immersion suits and flotation devices.



Safe: An RSPCA worker holds the deer who was rescued by firefighters after being spotted by motorists


Mr Brown and two crew members the edged their way carefully towards the animal along the paths.

Mr Brown was then able to use a crook to grasp the deer's neck and placed a towel over the animal's head to stop it from panicking before carefully helping the creature back to the safety of dry land.


Cartoon: Bambi and Thumper on ice in the 1942 film


The deer was then passed to the RSPCA inspector and taken to a small barn close to the pond so it could warm up.

However, the sub-zero temperatures meant that the deer had eventually to be taken to the nearest RSPCA centre for observations.

Once it has fully recovered from its ordeal it will be released back into the wild.

Mr Brown said: ‘The animal was rescued using the same techniques that Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service would use to rescue people who might become trapped on ice, and this rescue provided an excellent opportunity for crews to utilise and practice the procedures.’

The fire brigade has reminded the public that they should not venture onto any ice covered water to rescue a trapped animal as they would place themselves in great danger.

Instead people should call the fire service who have the correct equipment to rescue both people and animals safely.

Now watch a video of the cartoon Bambi on the ice...




source: dailymail