A Distressed Fawn By The Roadside
The green plastic netting wrapped tightly around the fawn’s torso, pinning its slender legs against the damp gravel beside the highway.
Just inches away, an adult deer stood guard, shifting her weight from side to side as cars rushed past on the asphalt.
The mother deer turned her head toward the oncoming traffic, her ears twitching with every passing engine.
She nudged the trapped fawn with her snout, but the heavy mesh did not budge.
A dark SUV slowed down on the shoulder, its tires crunching on the loose gravel before coming to a complete stop.
A man opened the driver’s side door and stepped onto the pavement, walking directly toward the two animals.
The mother deer did not run; she simply watched the man approach, her body tense but motionless.
Cutting The Tight Green Netting
He knelt on the grass, keeping his movements slow and predictable as he approached the tangled fawn.
The mother deer took two steps back but kept her eyes fixed on the man’s hands.
He reached out, first letting the fawn sniff his fingers before grasping the thick green strands of the net.
From his pocket, he pulled a pair of heavy-duty orange pruning shears.
He slid the metal blades beneath the first tight knot near the fawn’s neck.
A loud snap echoed as the plastic gave way under the pressure of the cutters.
The fawn remained still, its ribs rising and falling rapidly against the soil.
The man worked methodically, clipping one strand at a time along the animal’s back.
He paused between cuts, allowing the fawn to adjust to the loosening pressure of the grid.
The Tense Liberation
He moved down toward the hind legs, where the netting had bunched up into a thick collar.
With each snip of the shears, the tension in the green plastic released, allowing the fawn to shift its body.
The mother deer leaned her head forward, her nose almost touching the man’s shoulder as he worked.
He peeled back the severed sections of the grid, exposing the fawn’s spotted fur.
He gently pulled the remaining loops of plastic off the fawn’s front hooves.
The fawn lifted its head, blinking as the weight of the mesh finally fell away onto the grass.
The man gathered the discarded green netting and tossed it aside, clear of the road.
He checked the fawn’s legs for cuts, running his hand gently over the brown fur to ensure no plastic remained.
A Shared Handful Of Feed
Instead of running, the fawn stayed seated on the grass, looking up at its rescuer.
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small clear bag filled with grain and seeds.
He poured a portion of the feed directly into his open palm and extended it toward the fawn’s nose.
The young animal leaned forward, licking the grain from his hand with a soft, wet tongue.
The mother deer stepped closer, lowering her head to inspect the offering.
The man poured another handful of feed and held it up, allowing the mother to eat right alongside her offspring.
The mother deer gingerly took a piece of bread from his other hand, chewing slowly as she stood over her freed fawn.
The two deer stood quietly on the shoulder, chewing their food as the man remained knelt on the gravel beside them.
Know an animal lover who needs a smile today? Send them this video.