Chatham construction crew saves deer in Petrolia

By Heather Wright, Special to The Voice

Matt DeVries of Chatham and Richard Woudwyk have seen some interesting things while digging up Petrolia’s main street, but what was on top of the sidewalk is what caught their attention recently.

Just before 10 am on a warm July morning, the Henry Heyink Construction workers watched as a fawn walked along the sidewalk near Heidi’s Independent Grocer. The baby deer attracted quite a bit of attention and a driver tried to capture a picture.

That spooked the creature, according to DeVries.

“It freaked it out and the deer started jumping at the window (of the store),” he said. It made its way to the front doors which open automatically and was confined to the area the carts are stored.

DeVries and Woudwyk sprinted to the area and cornered the fawn, then scooped it up in their arms and headed back out the door.

The fawn was “screaming” like a goat and kicking. DeVries got head butted, but wasn’t hurt because of his hard hat.

One of the employees of the store had a pickup truck. She dropped the tailgate and DeVries, fawn in his arms, climbed on back heading for the nearby woods.

“As soon as we got onto the tailgate and the lady from the grocery store started driving, it calmed right down,” said DeVries.

As they drove down the street, he did get some looks and a lot of admiration for his now docile passenger. The fawn was released and it scampered off into the brush

The construction workers are glad the deer is fine.

“It would have been a mess if it got into the grocery store,” said Woudwyk.