Environmental police search Lakeville for deer in distress
A deer with its head trapped inside of a plastic container is seen near a Lakeville resident's home on Saturday, March 28. Environmental police officers are on the hunt to find and free the animal. Photos source: Greg McEvoy
Greg McEvoy said the deer appeared to be unable to drink or eat with the container fully covering its head.
Lakeville Animal Control Officer David Frates said it is dangerous for people to attempt to remove the container themselves or help the animal.
A deer with its head trapped inside of a plastic container is seen near a Lakeville resident's home on Saturday, March 28. Environmental police officers are on the hunt to find and free the animal. Photos source: Greg McEvoy
Greg McEvoy said the deer appeared to be unable to drink or eat with the container fully covering its head.
Lakeville Animal Control Officer David Frates said it is dangerous for people to attempt to remove the container themselves or help the animal.
LAKEVILLE — A deer with its head trapped inside of a plastic barrel has been spotted in Lakeville, and state environmental police officers are searching the cranberry bogs and forests in town to find it.
After receiving a call from a resident in the Haskell Circle area of Lakeville on Saturday, March 28, Animal Control Officer David Frates said animal control and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife are still searching for the animal whose head is completely trapped inside of a clear plastic container.
Frates said if residents do spot the entrapped animal, call the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife at 508-389-6300. He said it is dangerous for people to attempt to approach or help the animal.
“You can’t sneak up on him because he’s got a clear plastic jug on his head and he can see through it,” Frates said. “Residents should not try to help it themselves, those hooves can tear you open.”
Attempts to find the animal in the Rhode Island Road area have been unsuccessful as of Monday afternoon, Frates said.
Lakeville resident Greg McEvoy first reported the distressed deer to Lakeville police and animal control, after seeing it near his home.
“If it can't be found it will have a slow, painful death because of its inability to eat or drink,” he wrote to the Nemasket Week after sighting the deer Saturday afternoon.
Searches are underway by the division of fisheries and wildlife, and Frates said the deer would be tranquilized and then freed of the container if found by environmental police officers.
