They refused to give up on her.
Last month in Littleton, Colorado, a mother deer led two animal control officers on an unexpected chase through a quiet neighborhood. A concerned resident had contacted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office after spotting the doe entangled in a large piece of metal that had wrapped around her neck.
When Officers McMullen and Bennett arrived near dinnertime, they found the frightened animal crouched behind a shed in someone’s backyard. On closer look, they realized she had somehow gotten herself stuck inside a four-panel wire tomato cage from a nearby garden.
According to Mark A. Neitro, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s public affairs and communications specialist, these situations aren’t rare in the Denver metro area. “We’ve seen deer caught in hammocks, tangled in fences, and even hooked on Christmas decorations,” he explained.
This particular doe wasn’t alone — a young fawn was waiting nearby. With sunset fast approaching, the officers knew they needed to work quickly. But as soon as the mama deer caught sight of them, she bolted and leapt over a fence.
Officer Bennett immediately gave chase.
After a few tense minutes, the officers located her again — this time struggling to clear another fence. Exhausted, she stumbled and fell, crying out as she hit the ground. Seeing her chance, Officer Bennett rushed forward, gently throwing a thick blanket over the frightened animal and holding her still while Officer McMullen stepped in to assist.
“You’re OK, sweet girl,” Bennett murmured, rubbing the deer’s back to help calm her.
Rather than risk further injury by trying to pull the wire cage off, McMullen carefully used bolt cutters to snip the metal in several spots, freeing the trapped deer piece by piece.
For a moment, she stayed down — catching her breath — then stood up and bounded off to reunite with her baby.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office later shared the dramatic rescue on Facebook, reminding residents: “Please secure your garden supplies and call us if you see an animal in distress.”
Neighbors later reported seeing the doe and her fawn peacefully grazing nearby, both appearing healthy and unharmed.
Hopefully, they’ll steer clear of garden tomatoes next time.