LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) – An unexpected four-legged visitor prompted an unusual rescue Tuesday morning after a deer fell through a swimming pool cover at a Livonia home and became trapped.
Homeowner Kelly Eggers said he returned home after learning something was in his backyard pool and pulled back the cover.
“I went home to see what was going on and I pull back the cover and sure enough there was a very large buck in the shallow end of the pool,” Eggers said.
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Eggers said the pool had been drained about a year and a half ago and was scheduled to be demolished, but that work had not yet happened. The pool remained covered.
“The deer walked across it and fell through,” Eggers said.
Unsure how to safely get the animal out, Eggers, who is a fire marshal in a nearby city, called Livonia police and firefighters for help.
Senior Capt. Timothy Eskin of the Livonia Fire Department said it was a rescue unlike anything he had encountered during his career.
“We train for a variety of different emergencies that may come up, but 31 years in the fire service has never prepared me for a deer in a swimming pool-type rescue,” Eskin said.
Firefighters said the slope of the 10-foot-deep pool made it difficult for the large buck to climb out on its own.
“I think it was a seven- or an 8-point buck,” firefighter Neal Graff said.
Crews eventually came up with a simple solution: a ladder.
“Threw a ladder in, we were able to get that deer out and out to safety and he ran off in the neighborhood,” Eskin said.
The encounter ended without any apparent injuries to the deer. Eggers said he was relieved to see the buck get out safely and run away.
“Certainly didn't want anything to happen to the deer. Very relieved when it hopped out on it's own accord and hopped over the fence like it was nothing. So it did not seem injured and again hats off the first responders that showed up and helped us out with the issue,” Eggers said.
Firefighters are now reminding homeowners to regularly inspect swimming pool covers, including during the winter, to make sure animals cannot fall through damaged areas.
“Even through to the winter to make sure they are holding up, that there are no holes or rips in the there. If there are, fix them so our wildlife don't fall in the pool and become victims,” Eskin said.
