Stevens Co. Fire Protection District 1 Nabs PETA Award for Rescuing Deer Stranded on Frozen Lake

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2026

Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382

Loon Lake, Wash. –

A Compassionate Fire Department Award is on its way from PETA to Stevens County Fire Protection District 1 in recognition of rescuers’ quick actions and determination in saving a deer who was spotted struggling to stand on the frozen surface of Loon Lake on January 27.

Equipped with a floatation device and a rope, firefighter Gavyn Gallagher carefully crawled on his stomach across the lake’s thin ice to reach the frightened deer, who was stranded nearly 500 feet from the shore. Gallagher tried to cover her eyes to help keep her calm, then secured a rope around her body and held her as his team gently pulled them back to shore. Once both were on land, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Grant Samsill checked the deer’s temperature and examined her for injuries. After determining she was unharmed, the team warmed her up and released her safely into a nearby wooded area away from the highway.

“The dedicated rescuers at Stevens County Fire Protection District 1 didn’t hesitate to jump into action and brave the perilously thin ice of Lake Loon to save a deer from a terrifying predicament,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA hopes their heroic actions inspire people everywhere to step up and help when they see an animal in need.”

PETA notes that animals are especially vulnerable in cold weather and winter storms, which lead to multiple deaths, injuries, and near-miss rescues each year. Anyone who spots an animal in distress should contact their local animal control agency, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator—or, if necessary, 911—and stay with the animal until help arrives.

Stevens County Fire Protection District 1 will receive a framed certificate along with delicious vegan chocolates from PETA.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.