Oak Harbor neighbors seek help for deer trapped in PVC pipe

Neighbors near Ridgeway Drive in Oak Harbor spent weeks staring at a problem they could see clearly and fix only in theory: a young deer limping through the neighborhood with a piece of PVC pipe trapped around one of its legs. The animal was visible from a distance, but not close enough for anyone to safely grab the pipe by hand, leaving residents uncertain which agency, rehabilitator or veterinarian could actually step in.

Robert Ramsey said he first noticed the injury about a month ago in a deer born in the area less than a year earlier. At first, he hoped the pipe would fall off on its own. Instead, he said the deer appeared to be getting worse as it grew, with the foot looking infected. Ramsey spent weeks trying to connect with wildlife agencies, veterinarians and nearby residents who might know how to help before turning to social media as a last resort.

Lori Matteson said the neighborhood had known about the deer since last fall, and the situation has become harder to watch as the leg swelled and the animal struggled to move. Both neighbors said they suspect the deer may have stepped through construction debris somewhere in the area, although the exact cause is unknown. Around their homes, deer have become a routine part of the landscape, in part because an apple tree draws them back every year.

The case also underscores how limited the response can be once a wild animal is hurt in a suburban setting. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says deer fawns should be left alone unless the mother is dead or the fawn is clearly sick or injured. In those cases, the agency says people should consult a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before moving the animal. WDFW says most permitted rehabilitators are volunteers, are not on call 24/7 and generally cannot pick up wildlife. It also says it is illegal in virtually all other cases to possess wildlife without a valid permit.

The agency says good Samaritans have 24 hours to get a wild animal in need to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator, and if none can help, licensed veterinarians may be able to stabilize wildlife for transport or compassionately euthanize it. By May 26, state wildlife officials were sending a specialist to remove the pipe from the deer’s front leg, a sign that neighborhood pleas were finally moving toward an official response. The episode is not the first of its kind in Island County, either. A 2021 police log noted a Bay Road resident reporting a deer with part of a PVC pipe stuck on its foot.

WDFW says black-tailed deer populations on Puget Sound islands, including Whidbey Island, have been high enough in some management discussions to warrant reduction efforts. In Oak Harbor, that makes deer a common sight. It also makes the gaps in local wildlife rescue harder to ignore when one is injured and no one can quickly reach it.