The moose is loose

Things got a little wild at a Breckenridge home last week when an unexpected guest dropped by. According to
police reports, a call came in late Fri., March 15, about a suspected burglary. A guest of a home, who was sleeping in the basement, reported being awakened by the breaking of glass and a loud crash.

Police arrived and found they would definitely need back up. And a tranquilizer gun or two. The burglar in question was a cow moose that had been wandering around outside before accidentally stumbling into a window well.

“Once responding officers saw the moose, they called us in to take the lead,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Manager Elissa Slezak said. “When we arrived, the moose was actually pretty calm and didn’t appear to be injured, so we immediately made a plan to remove her.”

CPW officers tranquilized the moose, and with the help of police and firefighters, moved her through a tight stairwell and outside to an awaiting trailer. The moose was then relocated to prime moose habitat in Grand County, where she will hopefully live a peaceful, nondomestic life.

“Aside from the broken window, a few minor cuts and the initial shock to the homeowners, this situation went about as well as it could have,” Slezak said.

And as a public service announcement, CPW would like to remind homeowners to help our furry friends by covering below-ground windows and window wells with wildlife-proof grates. Ruminants make horrible roommates. For more info. on living with wildlife, visit cpw.state.co.us.