While not unusual, Lacombe Fire Department responded to a call to help an animal of a non- domestic nature Friday morning.

Around 9am, the call came from the Milton Road, a couple of kilometers east of Highway 2A, of a young moose in distress in a field.

Upon arrival conservations officers were also on hand and said the animal may have been hit by a car on the highway, and then fled into the field.

Lacombe Fire Chief Ed VanDelden says when it comes to trying to help any animal, a combination of fear and unpredictability can make for a dangerous situation for emergency responders.

“When we do water rescue, we teach that someone who is drowning, is also a potential risk to the rescuers, so animals are certainly worse than that.”

VanDelden says these calls are not uncommon, but dealing with wild animals requires a certain touch.

“We will help where we can, but they are wild animals so we are cautious in our approach especially if they are hurt. Generally we take the lead from conservation officers, we have assisted with domestic animals that have gone through ice…but for wild animals there’s really not a reasonable way to lift them out or anything like that, that’s just not possible.”

VanDelden can recall only one incident in the past few years where a dog had to be rescued from the ice off one of the lakes in Lacombe.

They believe the juvenile moose was likely hit by a vehicle.

Unfortunately, the conservation officers determined the best course of action was to euthanize the animal, with talk of contacting the Medicine River Wildlife Center for the remains.