2 Deer Trapped In Highland Park Reservoir

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Crews tried to rescue two deer that became stuck in the Highland Park Reservoir Monday afternoon.

When contractors arrived to work on the reservoir's liner around 6 a.m., they quickly noticed they weren't the first ones there.

Bill St. Peter, of RTD Enterprises, says the deer jumped the fence and became trapped in the reservoir, which had been drained.

Two Pittsburgh Animal Control officers spent a few hours trying to wrangle the young deer and guide them to a man-made stairway used by the workers.

"The guys that put the liners in have had other animals in, but I think this is the first time for deer," William Terrell with Oakdale Construction, said. "The Animal Control officers asked us to stay back so that we didn't scare the deer."

Last May at the lower reservoir in Highland Park, a water rescue made headlines. Boaters lassoed a deer and brought it to safety.

Crews planned to tranquilize the deer to remove them, but when the Pennsylvania Game Commission arrived with their tranquilizers, they discovered they couldn't use them.

One deer was hurt and an officer said the sedative would kill the animals anyway. Coupled with the challenge of hoisting the deer to the surface, they made the tough decision to put the animals down.

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