WATCH: Three deer rescued from frozen lake in Ontario
The trio were stranded on a lake near Kenora, but though their rescuer towed them toward shore, one of them was injured in the initial fall.
Three deer were saved by a passing skater after being stranded on the frozen ice of a lake in northern Ontario.
Ryan Peterson was having a skate on his lunch break on a lake near Kenora, Ont., on December 3rd when he happened upon the trio, and knew they were in trouble.
"That happens at this time of year if the lakes freeze without snow," he told The Weather Network. "If/when they lose their footing they can’t get back up."
Peterson says he went back to town and grabbed some rope to pull them to a nearby island. However, though two of the animals dashed off once safe, a third seemed to have injured its hip when it fell, and was staying put on the island.
Peterson says he called the Ontario Natural Resources Ministry and a local wildlife rehabilitator for advice, and he says the hope is the injury is only a sprain, but with the lakes not quite frozen, further access to the deer by vehicle isn't possible yet.
"In the end, she has a better chance with cover up on the island than she did stranded in the middle of the ice, so it looks like a 'fingers crossed and let nature take its course' kind of thing," he says.
