AssetID: 54485643
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Huge Stag Rescued After Becoming Tangled In Barbed Wire 'Headdress'
Caption: RSPCA staff rescued a red deer in Cannock after the poor stag’s antlers had become tightly entangled in electric fencing and barbed wire. The charity received a call to its helpline on Monday 27 January from a member of the public who spotted the large stag with his head stuck in a fence in a field off Washbrook Lane, Norton Canes. Deputy Chief Inspector Vicki Taylor, along with colleague Animal Rescue Officer Ash Moore attended the site and could see that the red deer - the largest species of deer in the UK - had his antlers entangled in the fencing. Vicki said: “This poor stag was well and truly stuck with his antlers completely entangled in electric fencing and barbed wire. My fellow officers worked with a local vet who sedated the deer; they were then able to cut the wiring and fencing free of the deer’s antlers. “Thankfully, there were no injuries, and so we waited at a distance and watched him walk off into the treeline - it was a brilliant sight! Deer are particularly susceptible to stress and therefore in many cases they do not survive for very long after being trapped due to stress-induced muscle breakdown, meaning that in many cases it’s kinder and the best option for animal welfare to put them to sleep to prevent the risk of a painful death hours later. It’s wonderful on this occasion, after a careful assessment, that we were able to release the deer back to the wild. It’s always the best part of the job to see such a beautiful, powerful animal finally free and released back into the wild.” Red deer are the largest land mammal in Britain and can grow to over four feet high at the shoulder and weigh up to 200kg. There are two native species of deer in Britain, the roe and red deer, and they have occurred naturally in Britain since the last ice age.
Keywords: RSPCA,deer,stag,animals,rescue,feature,photo,video
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