Dramatic efforts save fawn from Lower Buckhorn Lake
Man uses kayak, rope and ingenuity to pull deer out from icy waters
A Selwyn Township man successfully rescued a fawn from Lower Buckhorn Lake on Thursday.
The man, known only as Rob, many of which are calling a hero, told his neighbour, Shelley Fine, that the deer had fallen through the ice.
“He went out in his kayak and broke the ice and with a rope, tried to get the deer out for an hour,” Fine said.
The deer was exhausted, cold and scared and began to struggle. After a continued attempt to rescue the deer from his kayak, Fine said Rob saw the ice start to close and he decided to get out of it and lay on the ice on
his stomach and pulled the deer out while his wife held his legs.
“He got the deer out and they carried her to their shed. They wrapped up the deer, they dried
it off, and let it lay in their shed, and it stayed there for about three hours,” Fine said.
Rob is a private person and didn’t initially want Fine posting about the rescue on social media, Fine said.
“I said, ‘Rob, I have to share this. This is one of the nicest stories people have heard in like the whole year. Like, come on,’ ” Fine said.
With some convincing from Fine and Rob’s wife, he agreed to let Fine post the pictures and story of the rescue.
The posts have received hundreds of likes and shares on various social media platforms. Fine said the story has reached thousands of people, some even in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Fine said Rob’s been her neighbour for about two years since she first purchased her cottage. She said she’ll usually come from the city and stay at her cottage a lot during the winter months.
Rob’s a selfless guy, Fine said.
“That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s selfless. He’s empathic. He’s just got such a kind heart. He didn’t even think twice about the deer, he just went. He just did it.” SHELLEY FINE RESCUER’S NEIGHBOUR
“Without me even asking, he’ll plow my driveway,” she said.
Last November during a bad rain and wind storm, Fine said her daughter had forgotten to tie up their canoe on the dock.
“I get a call from Robs saying our canoe was in the middle of the lake and he went out in his paddle boat with a rain coat and
pulled it back in for me. I didn’t even ask him ... That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s selfless. He’s empathic. He’s just got such a kind heart. He didn’t even think twice about the deer, he just went. He just did it,” she said. Marissa Lentz is a staff reporter at the Examiner, based in Peterborough. Her reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Reach her via email: mlentz@peterboroughdaily.com