Desperate deer are getting caught in netting in North Jersey

There are plenty of kind-hearted people in the world who will take it upon themselves to help an animal. Escorting a turtle across a busy road, nursing a sick animal back to health, or trying to corral a loose dog on a highway are a few examples.

One New Jersey area is experiencing something where animal Good Samaritans might be very tempted to try to help, and authorities are making it clear. Don’t.

In the towns of Englewood and Tenafly, they have been seeing a number of white-tailed deer in the predicament of walking around with tangled netting on them.

"The Englewood Health Officer reached out to Bergen County Animal Control who is aware (as is Fish & Wildlife) that there are deer in the Tenafly/Englewood area that have some sort of netting and plastic planter material on them," Englewood Councilwoman Lisa Wisotsky said on Facebook.

Many residents commented that they had seen at least one, but the councilwoman indicated it was a number of them.

The tangled deer are able to move about and eat, so it’s not a matter of being trapped and starving, but it’s something that’s clearly impacting their quality of life.

To that end, authorities want to help, but they warn residents that they should leave it to the experts and not try to do anything themselves other than call New Jersey Fish and Wildlife's hotline at 877-927-6337. If called in a timely manner, authorities can try to sedate the animal, free it from the netting, then perform reverse sedation and let it go on its way.

That toll-free number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and isn’t just for deer. It’s for reporting bear problems, venomous snake sightings, and a variety of other things.

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I know it’s tempting to try to help.

The fear that the animal will be long gone and still entangled by the time authorities can arrive will make it tempting to try to get close enough to the deer to help. But a white-tailed deer is deceptively strong. They can easily overwhelm a human with a powerful kick or a charge. They can run 35 mph and jump eight feet. Especially when scared.

As the authorities said. Don’t. Just make that call.