WATERFORD (WWJ) – A Metro Detroit man has been working to find help for a deer who he said has not been able to eat for at least nine days because of a piece of trash lodged on its nose.
Scott Sisk of Waterford said to WWJ Newsradio 950’s Cassandra Llamas-Fossen that he first spotted the animal on April 27 while a group of deer wandered near his residence in Oakland County.
Sisk said an outdoor security camera captured footage of the doe hanging back from the others with something odd on its face.
After viewing the video on his phone, he went to investigate further.
“I went to the kitchen window to look out and I am like, ‘oh no,'” Sisk said. “I saw the can stuck on her face, so I took a photo of her and just been keeping an eye on her ever since trying to get her some help.”
Sisk said he has seen the deer trying to wiggle the can free of her nose, but so far there’s been no success. He estimates the deer hasn’t been able to eat since last Wednesday, although he did see that she could scoop up water into the can and get a drink.
Sisk said Oakland County Animal Control did not offer to help the troubled doe and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said they would only come out to euthanize the deer when “it was time.”
“We’re like, ‘no that’s not an option’, we’ve got to figure out something else.”
Sisk said he got a hold of several people who were willing to come out and help corral the animal to try and remove the can before he received a call from officials on Friday.
“The DNR called back and said they got authorization to come out and tranquilize her, hoping to get it taken care of by this weekend,” Sisk said.
But as of 5 p.m. Friday, he had received no word about when they might be out and when Sisk contacted the DNR, he became frustrated when they told him they were busy.
“We’ve just been driving around for hours today, looking for her, walking around, searching everywhere for her,” Sisk said. “We’re going to get up first thing in the morning and do the same thing all over again tomorrow.”
Sisk has observed the deer getting slower and weaker; he worries how much longer the doe will be able to make it without eating.
“It is so sad,” Sisk said. “She just stands off to the side and just watches the other deer eat and it’s so heartbreaking, it just tears at your heart. We look at her in the binoculars and you just see sadness, you can see it just coming over her in her eyes.”
The DNR released a statement via Fox 2, stating wildlife can be unpredictable when humans get too close and can potentially cause injury to people and further harm the animal; it was not recommended people approach the deer.
“Currently, the best course of action is to provide the deer with the opportunity to dislodge the can on its own while moving through nearby thick brush and wooded areas,” officials said. “The DNR will continue to work with the property owner to monitor the situation and determine the best course of action.”
Sisk said he still has hope and will continue to try and find a way to help the animal.
