The RSPCA has issued a stark warning about the dangers of discarded netting after two separate incidents required urgent intervention to free trapped deer.
On February 4, Nicole Scott, an animal rescue officer with the charity, responded to a call about a fallow deer entangled in netting wrapped around a tree in a field off Bibs Hall Lane, Welwyn, Hertfordshire.
Believed to be football netting, the tangled material had left the deer completely immobilized. Despite the challenge, Scott and two teams from the fire service managed to cut the uninjured animal free.
A second case soon followed in Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, where another fallow deer had become ensnared in a cricket net along Henley Road. A crew from High Wycombe Fire and Rescue attended the scene and successfully released the animal, which also escaped injury.
Scott emphasized the risks these situations pose to wildlife:
“Deer are particularly vulnerable to stress, and many do not survive long after being trapped due to stress-induced muscle breakdown,” she explained. “In severe cases, humane euthanasia is often the kindest option to prevent prolonged suffering.”
The RSPCA is urging the public to take extra care when disposing of netting and to contact their helpline if they come across a trapped or injured deer.