Oh, deer! Solvay police rescue doe from in-ground pool

Solvay, NY -- Three Solvay police officers found themselves pulling a lifeguard shift at a Fay Road pool Thursday, and they were doing it for the doe. Shortly after 2 p.m., police were called to 225 Fay Road, where a neighbor heard a splash and then saw an adult female deer thrashing in the water of the in-ground pool....

Solvay, NY -- Three Solvay police officers found themselves pulling a lifeguard shift at a Fay Road pool Thursday, and they were doing it for the doe. Shortly after 2 p.m., police were called to 225 Fay Road, where a neighbor heard a splash and then saw an adult female deer thrashing in the water of the in-ground pool. The homeowner was not home at the time.

Lt. Allen Wood, Sgt. Derek Osbeck and Officer Matt Ryan arrived to find the deer still in the water and unable to get out.

“It’s not your average call,” Osbeck said Friday.

The three got a rope around the doe and managed to pull her out. They released the rope.

“She spooked, turned around and jumped back in,” Osbeck said.

The three began the process again and, once again, got her out, Osbeck said.

“She was exhausted,” Osbeck said.

The deer laid down for about 10 minutes before getting up and bounding off, this time away from the pool.

The pool had a solar cover, which perhaps confused the deer into thinking it was going to be walking on something solid, Osbeck said.

The solar cover and the pool lining were both destroyed by the deer. Officers were concerned about harming the deer during the rescue, or the deer harming the officers, Osbeck said.

“All in all, I wouldn’t want to do that again,” Osbeck said.