Our family was blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving at our home this year and truly get to celebrate how much we have to be thankful for. Our daughter left to go home and 10 minutes after departing she called from the road.
A very young deer had obviously been struck by a vehicle and was laying in a field close to the road’s shoulder. The deer had two broken hind legs, was hyperventilating and extremely scared, and was attempting to drag itself farther away from the road.
Elizabeth was not sure what to do, so she called and asked if I could come to where she was. A few minutes later, I pulled up and took stock of this horrible scenario. I told her she need not stay, that I had called the police and an officer was on his way.
Continued development in our towns leaves less natural terrain for the ever-growing deer population. We all worry about dangerous encounters with wildlife while driving our country roads and highways. I drove back the next morning to find the deer exactly where it had been the night before, but thank goodness, finally at peace.
Our family wants to thank local law enforcement for euthanizing this unfortunate creature. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for any police officer to put such an animal out of its misery; a task I am certain has to be done way too often.
Neither I, nor my daughter, will ever forget what it was like to stare into this very young deer’s eyes and personally feel the sense of helplessness and fear that we hope others never have to experience.
Stu Gleich
Marlboro