Kentucky Workers Rescue Deer From Wastewater Tank in Unlikely Late-Night Incident
JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. — In an unusual late-night rescue, employees at the West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant in Jessamine County sprang into action to save a deer found swimming in one of the facility’s clarifying tanks. The incident unfolded on the evening of February 4, when Matthew Chancellor, the plant’s chief operations manager, arrived for his shift and noticed unexpected movement in the tank, which holds water approximately 12 feet deep.
Initially mistaking the animal for a waterfowl, Chancellor soon realized it was a deer struggling to stay afloat amid frigid temperatures. Recognizing the urgency, plant workers quickly coordinated a rescue effort. One employee carefully climbed into the tank’s trough and managed to lift the exhausted doe from the water, bringing her to safety.
The workers then contacted Jamie Rowe of Grit and Grace Wildlife Rehabilitation, a local organization specializing in the care of injured and distressed wildlife. Rowe advised the team to keep the deer warm by gently covering her with a towel or blanket to help restore her body temperature gradually. “All we could do at that point was give her time, hope and a quiet space to recover,” Rowe wrote on the organization’s Facebook page.
After a period of rest and warming, the doe regained her strength and was able to stand and move about. The plant workers then opened the door to the facility, allowing the deer to return safely to the wild. Chancellor reflected on the experience, emphasizing the importance of human intervention in wildlife emergencies. “You try to do what you can for wildlife because especially in this situation, it couldn’t help itself. So, humans need to realize that helping wildlife is part of our purpose,” he said.
The West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant, like other municipal facilities, plays a critical role in managing water quality and environmental health in the region. The plant’s quick response highlights the unexpected challenges that can arise in such settings and underscores the importance of wildlife rehabilitation efforts. For more information on wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides extensive resources.
Similar incidents have drawn attention in recent years, such as the rescue of an entangled buck in Minnesota or the recovery of a stranded dog behind a drainage grate in California, illustrating the wide range of scenarios where human intervention can make a life-saving difference. The National Geographic offers comprehensive coverage of such animal rescue stories.
As urban and industrial areas intersect increasingly with natural habitats, stories like this one from Kentucky serve as reminders of the delicate balance between human infrastructure and wildlife. The cooperation between wastewater plant workers and wildlife rehabilitators exemplifies how communities can come together to protect and preserve local fauna.
For those interested in supporting wildlife rescue efforts or learning more about local environmental stewardship, the Environmental Protection Agency provides guidance on protecting wildlife habitats and promoting coexistence between humans and animals.
In the end, the swift and compassionate actions of the West Hickman team ensured a positive outcome for the stranded doe, turning what could have been a tragic situation into a story of hope and humanity.
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