Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Griffith, left, helps corral and lasso a deer trapped in the basement of a house under construction, Saturday, May 5, 2018.

No one knows how the deer got into the basement of a home under construction in rural Douglas County, but everyone agreed it needed out — and it was going to need help.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office was called in to help with the unusual situation Saturday, and shared the incident on its Facebook page this morning, along with a few photos.

“On Saturday, we were dispatched to help a deer who was stuck in a precarious situation,” the post said. “Somehow, the deer had gotten into the basement of a house under construction. Because all that had been constructed were the walls of the basement, the deer was unable to get out on its own.”

Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Griffith and two county residents were able to corral and lasso the deer, the sheriff’s office said. They tied its legs just long enough for it to be lifted out of the basement and turned over to a wildlife officer.

“The deer was then released without injury, but hopefully a little wiser about houses under construction,” the sheriff’s office said in its post.

Sgt. Kristen Channel said the deer rescue happened in the 100 block of East 650 Road. I asked what’s the best thing for people to do if they have a wildlife problem like an injured or trapped animal, and she said the sheriff’s office recommends not handling it yourself — but not necessarily calling law enforcement for every situation, either.

“Because they are wild animals, they can can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous,” Channel said. “We don’t want to see any person or animal get hurt. We recommend citizens contact either a professional animal control service or contact dispatch for a Wildlife and Parks officer or other law enforcement officer depending on the situation.”

— I’m the Journal-World’s public safety reporter. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com or by phone at 785-832-7187. I’m also on Twitter, @saramarieshep.