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Search forWildlife service urges 'don't use stock fencing'
Friday, September 26, 2008, 12:00
The Uckfield based charity is urging farmers to stop using strands of plain or barbed wire on their fences, having had to deal with more than double the number of trapped deer compared with last year.
Founder of the charity, Trevor Weeks, said: "Last week we had two calls about young deer caught in stock fencing. One at Dallington, near Heathfield and another at Cripps Corner, near Battle.
"The young female caught at Dallington is the third deer this year to be caught in the same new fencing erected earlier this year."
Rather than use this kind of wire fencing, Mr Weeks suggested the use of wire mesh or wooden railing.
"One landowner told me that they didn't think deer would enter the same field as sheep so thought it was OK to continue using barbed wire on top of their stock fencing. But this is unfortunately a myth. And as the recent deer at Dallington showed, a deer became caught in fencing where there were sheep grazing," he said.
He urged people to contact the charity should they see a trapped animal.
He said: "If you see a deer caught up, please do not approach it and do not cut it free. Call us for help. It is easier and safer for us to deal with the deer while caught than once it is struggling to escape across a field."
Call WRAS's duty co- ordinator on 07815 078234.
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