Trapped Deer Freed From Banff Fence in Cross-Agency Rescue

A young buck that became trapped in a metal fence at Cascade Gardens in Banff was freed last week in a coordinated rescue involving local firefighters and Parks Canada staff, according to the volunteer group that helped set the response in motion.

Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue said it received an urgent call on June 18 from a person in Banff who had spotted the deer stuck in a fence at the site, which sits in front of the Banff National Park administration building. The caller had already contacted Parks Canada, the group said, but reported that no one had arrived roughly half an hour later.

After confirming the deer's exact location, Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue said it reached the on-duty chief of the Banff Fire Department, who in turn contacted Parks Canada for approval to assist. Because the rescue fell within Banff National Park's jurisdiction, the group said, crews needed permission before stepping in.

Once that approval was granted, the rescue group said, a Banff fire crew responded quickly and met up with a Parks Canada rescue team, arriving about half an hour after the original call. Working together, the two teams calmed the frantic, crying animal while a firefighter pried apart the metal pole pinning it in place.

The deer had been caught with half its body wedged through the gate, unable to pull itself to the other side. Footage of the rescue shows one officer cupping his hands over the deer's eyes to keep it calm, while two others held the animal down, and another used a hydraulic spreader, a tool commonly known as the jaws of life, to force the gate open.

When the deer finally pulled free, it bolted away unharmed, and the group of onlookers who had gathered to watch broke into applause.

Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue praised the response as an example of strong teamwork between the agencies, and said it was glad to see the deer run free.

Wildlife encounters are a regular feature of life in Banff, where deer, elk and other animals move freely through the townsite. Run-ins with fences, gates and other human-made structures are an occasional hazard for the animals that wander its streets and green spaces.