Moose Jaw Fire Department saves trapped fawn

The Moose Jaw Fire Departmentperformed a different kind of rescue Saturday morning.

Public education officer Cathie Bassett said the department got a call at around 7:35 a.m. CST about an animal in distress. A fawn had gotten stuck in a crack in a hill at the end of Skipton Road in the Wakamow Valley area.

"We weren't sure what we're going to see when we got there, of course," Bassett said.

"This poor little thing was really stuck down deep in a crack and in the ground. And I have no idea how it got in there in the first place because it was pretty small."

The mama deer was at the scene as well, keeping her distance but staying vigilant. Bassett said the fawn would occasionally make a sound, which was probably one of the reasons the doe stayed close.

The firefighters used their training in trench rescue and confined spaces to work away at the earth, being careful not to cause the ground to collapse.

"You didn't want any of the earth to fall on top of it and hurt it more, maybe even smother it," Bassett said.

It took about about two hours, but the crew was able to get the fawn out and reunite it with its mother.

Bassett said the fawn didn't appear to be injured.

"It wobbled away," she said. "In the end, I think it was just so happy to get out of there. But it was sure happy to see its mom."