Strange ‘Meowing’ Reported in Neighborhood, Cops Look and Find Baby Deer Stranded in Drain
A newborn fawn that was found trapped in a storm drain has captured the hearts of a community in Pacifica, California.
The fawn, thought to be just one to two days old, somehow managed to fall into a storm drain and was unable to escape.
On the morning of May 8, a concerned neighbor heard what sounded like a cat meowing from the bottom of the drain and called law enforcement to report the noise.
Firefighter Bryn Morales from the North County Fire Department and Pacifica police officer Will Smith responded to the call, KTVU reported.
Upon arriving, the rescuers discovered that the sound was not a kitten, but instead a newborn fawn that was still slender enough to slip down the narrow drain opening.
Smiles all around! #FAWNtastic ? pic.twitter.com/5O8amzCFND
— NCFA (@NoCoFire) May 8, 2019
Police Captain Joe Spanheimer reported that a neighbor witnessed the fawn slip into the drain while its worried mother and sibling were spotted nearby.
Realizing they would need assistance, Officer Smith called the fire department to remove the drain cover. Captain Howard Brown and firefighter Greg McInturf soon arrived, and the crew began the delicate task of reaching gloved hands into the drain to bring the fawn out, taking care not to injure the animal.
Deputy Fire Chief Ron Bravo said it took about 10 minutes to free the deer from the drain.
A great team effort with @PacificaPolice today. Our firefighters along with PD were able to rescue a fawn caught in the storm drain on the corner of Crespi and Barcelona.
Great job, team! #FAWNtastic ? pic.twitter.com/kPONN1intQ
— NCFA (@NoCoFire) May 8, 2019
The crew was happy to free the struggling fawn and had high hopes of reuniting it with the nearby doe believed to be its mother.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of something like this,” Spanheimer said. “It’s a nice feel good story.”
According to KNTV, North County Fire officials have been monitoring the mother and baby, but it appeared the mother was rejecting her fawn.
Fawns born in the spring typically need to stay with their mothers through their first winter, according to Native Animal Rescue. In many situations, once the mother senses that potential danger is gone, she will resume care of her fawn.
In this little one’s case, if the mother does reject her fawn, the Peninsula Animal Shelter will assume care of the animal, according to KNTV.
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