A thanks to local public safety for help with deer

Dear Editor:

Just wanted to write a thank you and let everyone know what a wonderful job the city and county animal control, police department, public works, and county game warden’s offices did recently when a deer wandered into my garden. I was in the garden and saw him/her (?) out of the corner of my eye no more than 20 feet away, and I expected him to run off, but he didn’t.

I realized he or she didn’t look well, and I watched as he just kind of wandered around, laid down in the shade for a minute and then got up and came over and collapsed in the sun right by the driveway.

This all transpired in no more than 20 minutes and I was calling anybody I could think of to come see what was wrong. The police department got in touch with our county Game Warden Daniel Gray.

Daniel called me right away and said he was in Carroll County but he would get in touch with animal control, who really didn’t deal with deer, but he thought he could get them to come over and check on the deer.

In a few minutes, Jeff Crawford, director of Animal Control, was here. He went out and looked at the deer and said yes he was dead. Jeff called Daniel because Daniel had said to let him know if the deer was still alive and he would get here as soon as he could so the animal wouldn’t suffer.

Jeff told me that he could pull the deer out to the edge of the road where the city could pick him up (the city can’t pick up on private property.)

So Jeff went beyond the call of duty and pulled the deer out to the edge of the street for me. I called the public works at the city and spoke with Lisa Barker, who had someone on the way immediately.

The deer is now gone. I don’t know what was wrong with it.. It may have gotten hit crossing Cave Springs Road, but I didn’t see any wounds.

Anyway, thank you very much to all the good people working for the city and county who reacted so quickly and considerately to the practicalities of the problem, but who also showed such care and concern for the poor animal.

Sincerely,