WARNING: Some readers might find graphic photo below disturbing.

Oh deer.

A complaint that a full-time Surrey firefighter hung and bled a deer carcass in a fire hall has prompted an investigation.

The photo, which some may consider graphic, shows the skinned animal hanging above a pool of blood, with the firefighter posing beside it for a photo, holding up the deer鈥檚 head and hide.

Vern Bergen contacted the City of Surrey on Monday about the image after he was advised of a full-time Surrey firefighter鈥檚 thread 鈥� under sfire436 鈥� on a HuntingBC forum. Bergen said in an email to the Now-Leader that he鈥檚 not taking issue with any legal harvesting of game.

鈥淚 am upset that a public servant thinks it鈥檚 acceptable to skin and pose with an animal in a municipal building,鈥� Bergen said. 鈥淭his act makes me wonder if this is commonplace due to the fact that many firefighters hunt, from what I鈥檝e been told.鈥�

Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas confirmed Tuesday morning that the city 鈥渋s aware of the picture and we鈥檝e started an internal investigation into the matter.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 really all I can say at this time because it鈥檚 just hit us yesterday,鈥� Thomas said.

The firefighter, whose name has not been disclosed, is aware of the investigation.

鈥淵es, well, he will be, because they鈥檙e meeting right now,鈥� Thomas said.

He said the complaint was sent to not only himself but also to the mayor, city manager and city clerk.

鈥淚 think the City鈥檚 going to do a statement or something once we get through this investigation,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚 shouldn鈥檛 really comment on it any further.鈥�

Asked what fire hall this happened at, Thomas replied 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be figuring that out.鈥�

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has not replied to a request for comment.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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