L.A. County search and rescue team saves deer stranded in debris basin

Members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department search and rescue team assisted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in rescuing a deer stranded in a debris basin in Tujunga on Tuesday, officials announced.

The deer had apparently been stuck in the basin, located in the Haines Canyon area, for some time and was unable to get out, according to a LASD social media post.

At the scene, an LASD coordinator saw that there would be no easy way to extract the animal and called in the Montrose Search and Rescue Team.

  • Deer stranded in debris basin in California rescued
    Members of LASD’s Montrose Search and Rescue Unit assist officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in lifting a stranded deer out of a debris basin in the Haines Canyon area on Sept. 26, 2023. (LASD)
  • Deer stranded in debris basin in California rescued
    Members of LASD’s Montrose Search and Rescue Unit assist officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in lifting a stranded deer out of a debris basin in the Haines Canyon area on Sept. 26, 2023. (LASD)
  • Deer stranded in debris basin in California rescued
    Members of LASD’s Montrose Search and Rescue Unit assist officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in lifting a stranded deer out of a debris basin in the Haines Canyon area on Sept. 26, 2023. (LASD)
  • Deer stranded in debris basin in California rescued
    Members of LASD’s Montrose Search and Rescue Unit assist officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in lifting a stranded deer out of a debris basin in the Haines Canyon area on Sept. 26, 2023. (LASD)

Once the deer was safely sedate, members of the team used a winch truck to lower the fish and wildlife official into the basin.

The deer was then placed securely in a litter, lifted out of the debris basin and put in the back of a fish and wildlife truck.

Officials said the animal will be relocated nearby.

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