It was a sound Amanda Johnston has heard many times in the more than two decades she has lived on Effingham Street in rural Pelham. There’s a loud bang, the sound of crunching metal, and breaking glass.
It happened again recently, when on Sunday, Oct. 20, a deer had been struck by a speeding vehicle not far from her home.
“That's what I heard the other night, a bang. And luckily, no human was killed,” Johnston said.
When she did go out to see what the problem was, it turned out a deer was hit by a vehicle of a neighbour. The neighbour was fine. The deer was not, and appeared to be suffering from broken hind legs.
“It was pulling itself across the grass,” Johnston said.
The deer eventually passed away. Johnston, meanwhile, is concerned that the collisions are happening more and more. Drivers come speeding through the area far in excess of the posted 50 km/h speed limit. It is a hilly section of road with plenty of curves.
She feels it’s only a matter of time before someone – a human – dies as the result of a collision, or in the act of avoiding one, with an animal crossing the road. It wasn’t that long ago that something like this almost did happen.
“Five years ago, a young woman came flying down (the) hill, dodged a deer, and went straight into a pole. Luckily, by the grace of God, she wasn't killed.”
Fast-forward to today and nothing has changed, Johnston said. Drivers continue to speed along Effingham near her home.
“There's no stop sign at corner of Mettler in Effingham, so they're just flying down.”
That was the case with the latest accident.
Niagara Regional Police Media Relations Officer Const. Phil Gavin confirmed a deer being hit at around 8 p.m. on Oct. 20.
“The deer struck in this incident ran into the bush prior to the officer’s arrival,” Gavin said in an email to PelhamToday.
Johnston said she wanted to help the injured deer but wherever she turned, it seemed, she was referred elsewhere.
When she contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) she was told they were not the party to call. She tried the Town and was told they only attend when an animal has died.
You can't wipe that away. It just was heart-wrenching
Leah Letford, communications specialist for the Town confirmed this, saying that Town staff only removes dead wildlife, which is then taken to the Niagara SPCA and Humane Society (NSPCAHS) for disposal.
“I have personally seen that the SPCA transfers smaller wildlife to the care centre via their social media,” she said. “Hobbitsee (a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in Nanticoke) is one of the closest ‘wildlife custodian’ locations that are legally authorized to provide temporary care to sick or injured wildlife.”
Hobbitsee founder Chantal Theijn said the rescue works with 19 different SPCAs in Ontario, including the NSPCAHS. They are the rescue closest to Niagara that works with injured deer. She said the best thing to do when you come across injured wildlife, is call the nearest SPCA.
“They bring us the wildlife,” Theijn said.
She said the centre works mainly with fawns, rather than adult deer, which she said can be difficult.
“Adult deer are by nature prey animals,” she said. “They have that really strong flight instinct, and that means that they are not okay being held in captivity. They cannot handle it mentally. Also, adults that are injured are extraordinarily dangerous to humans, because one kick with a foot will shred your skin.”
Nina Turmel, animal services manager for the NSPCAHS, said anyone who comes across a sick or injured animal should call them.
“Our animal service officers will attend the scene and assess, then bring the animal to our shelter for medical exams or speak with a rehabilitator for advice to decide on the next course of action,” she said.
Officers are available year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she added.
In Niagara, besides Pelham, the NSPCAHS serves Welland, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, Lincoln and West Lincoln. The agency also serves Haldimand County.
The NRP's Phil Gavin, meanwhile, said that in Niagara the fall months of October through December are when there is increased deer movement, especially around sunset.
“Drivers should be more cautious for the presence of deer on or near the roadways,” Gavin wrote. “Deer presence can be higher in rural areas. Drivers should reduce their speed and increase their vigilance in areas where there is a high likelihood of deer presence.”
He also said that drivers should use their high-beam lights to increase visibility where appropriate (lights should be dimmed when there is oncoming traffic). If a driver finds themselves in a situation where colliding with a deer is unavoidable, they should consider hard controlled breaking versus swerving.
“Swerving can cause the car to lose control, compounding the situation by the car rolling, crossing the center line, and colliding with oncoming traffic,” he said.
Johnston, meanwhile, is haunted by what she saw that night.
“You can't get that picture out of your mind,” she said. “You can't wipe that away. It just was heart-wrenching.”
