Bethel Park woman pleading with game commission over deer stuck in netting, "Hopefully someone can help this poor creature."
BETHEL PARK (KDKA) - A woman living in a Bethel Park neighborhood by Logan Road told KDKA that for nearly a month, a deer has been roaming the area with a net on its head. She wants to alert others in hopes of helping the animal.
On July 6, Milada Michlic caught a deer entangled in netting approach bird food on her back deck. It wasn't her first encounter with the animal.
"The deer has been making sporadic stops in the backyard to get a drink of water," Michlic said.
For a while, she came across the same deer walking on her property, living its life. However, ever since June 17, the deer's head has been covered with netting.
"I don't know if it's from like maybe a volleyball court or something of that nature," Michlic said.
She's tried to get close to it on multiple occasions to no avail, so she reached out to the greater public in a community Facebook group, and agencies like the police and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
"I have a lot of compassion for animals, wildlife," Michlic said.
Last week, she noticed animal control at her neighbor's home. It once again got away. Though, she hasn't given up, contacting KDKA to get the word out.
"I just really hate to see an innocent animal suffer like that," Michlic said.
KDKA reached out to the commission. The state game warden told KDKA they are aware of this deer and want "to provide relief" to it, "but have not been able to get close enough to the deer to help."
The warden also said every year they come across deer "entangled in netting, fencing, garbage, and other materials," and that batting cages "tend to be one of the biggest contributors." They ask "owners [to] roll up the netting at least six feet when not in use," and urge people to "limit anything that may become an entanglement problem with wildlife to the best of their ability, especially around food sources."
As for Michlic, she wants to see this deer roam free.
"Hopefully, someone can help this poor creature," Michlic said.
The commission urges anyone who sees this deer or others to not approach them and instead to call the commission for help at 1-833-PGC-WILD.