Sometimes, a person stuck in the mud isn’t a person at all.

That’s what responders from the DeKalb County, Georgia, Fire Rescue unit discovered last week when they responded to a call at a local park. The caller had said that a person was reportedly stuck in the mud, but when rescue crews arrived, they found a young fawn, exhausted and trapped in the mud after venturing out too far.

As a department spokesperson recounted in a social media post, the dedicated crew members jumped into action “without hesitation,” working quickly and carefully to free the scared little fawn and bring it back to safety unharmed.

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Photos of the rescue show that this was wet, muddy work, but the smiles of satisfaction on the faces of the crew also show that the reward of rescuing such a fragile creature made the mess well worth it. On social media, the department spokesperson wrote that this was “a small rescue with a big heart, and just another reminder that DCFR is always ready to lend a hand, no matter who needs help.”