Deer With Plastic Container On Head Needs Help: 'Time Is Running Out'

WADING RIVER, NY — The Wading River community is coming together to try and help a bewildered deer spotted with a plastic container covering its entire head.

According to Katie Bubeck of Wading River, who posted on the Shoreham-Wading River Community Group Facebook page, she first spotted the deer on Soundbreeze Trail/ Great Rock Drive Sunday. She wanted to help the deer, but it ran away too quickly, she said.

After she posted about the deer's plight on social media, the Strong Island Animal Rescue group stepped up to help — calls also came in to The Broken Antler rescue group, and Missing Angels - Long Island also shared the post on Facebook.

Frankie Floridia of Strong Island took the helm in the search efforts, Bubeck said.

Speaking to Patch, Floridia said the deer has been spotted numerous times; on Sunday, the deer ran so close, he could touch her.

And on Monday, while he was out searching — Floridia did not disclose an exact location because he did not want crowds to gather and scare the deer— she ran right past him again.

"I was close," he said.

Floridia said he has cameras set up and has alerted neighbors in the area; he has been traversing the woods and following her patterns. The goal, he said, is to get the deer contained in an area where it's easier to catch her and get the container off of her head.

The coming snowstorm, he said, might make it easier to follow her prints. He does not want people coming out to try and find the deer. "Once you have a scared deer ,it's impossible to catch. We want to sneak up on her, not scare her," he said.

The reason why deer get the containers stuck on their heads is often, they have salt or food inside; people do not put caps on the containers and the deer pop their heads in, then their ears go through — and the deer have no way to extricate themselves, Floridia said.

Because the container has no suction, he'll be able to remove it from the deer as soon as he is close enough.

Floridia said he will continue with his quest to save the deer Tuesday morning. "We want her comfortable at night, and we want to catch her during the day, or dusk."

Jackie Roche of the Broken Antler said she'd gotten many calls from concerned community members. "There's a hole in the container, so it's getting fresh air, and I'm assuming it's able to somehow get water," she said. "The last deer we had like this, it was on the run for three weeks before we were able to catch it and remove the container. I'm hoping it's not the same situation."

Others shared the posts on social media, desperately trying to help. "Time is running out," one woman wrote.