A young buck in Michigan spent 10 days with a plastic Halloween pumpkin stuck on its head before volunteers freed it on Sunday, according to BroBible. The Detroit Animal Welfare Group led the effort and says it tracked the deer to Hines Park in Westland, miles from the Livonia neighborhood where it was first spotted. Volunteers tranquilized the animal and removed the bucket.
The deer first drew attention after a resident in a Livonia neighborhood recorded video of it with the plastic pumpkin bucket stuck over its mouth. The group says it began receiving calls shortly after Halloween and posted on social media asking people to report sightings. It says it received several updates and photos but could not catch up to the deer, which was becoming weak and thin.
The group says it was concerned that the deer would become dehydrated and eventually starve, as the bucket kept it from eating or drinking. It received permission from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to tranquilize the animal if volunteers could reach it. The group also asked for help from drone pilots, including one with a heat sensing drone, to track the deer down.
Volunteers waded through water and mud in Hines Park to reach the deer on Sunday
On Sunday, someone reported seeing the deer in Hines Park, and volunteers fanned out across the park to find it. They waded through water and mud to get close enough to tranquilize the animal. Once the deer was sedated, they removed the plastic pumpkin, gave it fluids through an IV and tagged it with a “Do Not Eat” date, which the state requires.
The group announced on social media Sunday night that the rescue had succeeded, and thousands of people liked and commented on the post. It says the deer stopped for a few minutes after waking to groom itself and look back at the volunteers before leaving. The group thanked everyone who helped with a search that it says lasted 10 days…