ABC News(FULSHEAR, Texas) — Residents and police in Fulshear, Texas, recently helped free a deer that was found tied up with rope behind a house under construction.
The deer, whom neighborhood kids nicknamed “Hank,” was initially found by a group of residents this past Tuesday, according to ABC station KTRK-TV in Houston. They cut the deer loose and called police.
When Fulshear Police Officer Kevin Zieschang arrived on the scene, Hank was still on the back porch with nylon rope tangled around its antlers.
Footage from Zieschang’s body camera shows him cutting the rope and trying to guide Hank back into the woods. However, the stubborn deer kept coming back and trying to follow him.
“I tried to spook him to get him to run back out into the woods, but he wasn’t having it,” Zieschang told KTRK-TV. “He wanted to hang out with us.”
Though Hank eventually ran off, locals in the area said he’s come back multiple times — including once on Thursday while KTRK-TV had been filming Zieschang at the house construction site.
“Sir, is that him right there?” someone can be heard asking Zieschang on the video from KTRK-TV.
“He came back to see me!” Zieschang says.
Though police and residents fell in love with Hank, saying he’s the friendliest deer they’ve ever seen, many were worried for his safety.
In response, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) sent out a game warden to the construction site this morning, according to TPWD News Manager Steve Lightfoot.
“The deer was tranquilized and relocated to a preserve,” Lightfoot told ABC News Friday, adding Hank is “doing fine.”
It’s not clear why the deer was tied up, but police are investigating, according to KTRK-TV. The Fulshear Police Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for additional information Friday.
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