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Kim Johnson Reporting Every year moose wander down into the foothills and give the neighbors a scare. The first "moose on the loose" of 2006 paid a residence in Salt Lake's foothills a visit last night.
Last night Leah Daines was in her basement when her dog let her know something unusual was happening. She headed upstairs thinking the dog might have cornered a rabbit or a coyote in the back yard, boy was she in for a surprise.
Leah Daines: "I came running around the corner and I was face to face with it, and it started charging me. My first instinct was to dive and get out of the way, grab my dog and get in for safety."
Daines says she slipped and fell in the process and heard her rib pop. She called 9-1-1, but was told wildlife officers wouldn't be able to help until morning.
Leah Daines: "It's kind of hard to sleep when you've got a thousand pound animal tromping around in your back yard. It kept going from one side to the next so I was up all night watching it, making sure it was safe."
Scott White, Division of Wildlife: "Obviously, it being dark, and moose are dark colored we don't like to tranquilize at night for the safety for the animal and the people involved. If they get out of the yard before the tranquilizer takes effect and run out into the neighborhood, it's difficult for us to track, them, follow, them and find them."
Officers shot a tranquilizer dart this morning and within minutes the one and a half year old calf was calm and letting Daines pet him. The neighbors came over and posed for a photo op.
It took several officers to carry the animal to a trailer where they drew blood, tagged him with radio transmitters, and shot him with vitamins, antibiotics and something to counteract the tranquilizer.
Officers assured the curious onlookers this moose will have a smooth ride to his new home in Colorado.
Scott White: "Colorado has requested some moose from us. Where we get them here in town a lot, it makes it easy for us to tranquilize them and help our sister agency in another state."
If you happen to be the next person to discover a moose in your neighborhood, officers say get your pets and children inside and call the Division of Wildlife right away.
