She Rolls down Window to Snap Pic of Moose in Field. Hears Tiny Cries, Spots Calf Trapped in Wire
Just as doctors and nurses have a gift for saving people, veterinarians, zoologists, and wildlife experts have a talent for saving animals. Despite a very clear communication barrier, those who work with animals have a special way of understanding them.
Even some pet owners would claim that they are able to understand their furry friend with just a bark, meow, or tilt of the head. Then there are some who are just in the right place at the right time and possess a certain calm which helps relax an animal and coax it into rescue.
A woman in Saskatchewan, Canada, had an unusual encounter with a moose calf on her way to work recently. Jodean Howie was headed to a potash mine just north of Rocanville when she spotted two moose near the side of the road.
The mother moose and calf were close enough to snap a picture, so she rolled down her window to capture the moment. That is when she heard cries coming from the the fence line.
Covered by tall grasses, a twin calf was difficult to notice at first. Looking closer, Howie noticed that the calf’s leg was twisted between two wires in the fence, trapping the poor creature.
It appeared to Howie as if the calf had tried to jump over or through the fence but then slipped and got its hoof caught. Feeling bad for the calf, Howie decided to do what she could to free it.
Thinking of her own safety, Howie made sure the mother moose did not plan to charge her. She approached the trapped calf slowly and carefully. Howie stroked the calf’s face and comfortingly said, “your worries are over.”
When she got to the fence line, it was clear she would need some slack to free the calf, but the fence was pulled tight. Howie noticed a gate a little ways down the fence and figured she could lay it down to receive enough slack to move the tight wires.
She was absolutely right. Adjusting the gate gave the fence just enough movement to untwist the wire and remove the trapped limb.
The calf jumped up immediately and trotted off to join its mother and sibling. Howie got back in her vehicle and headed to work.
When she got to work, she showed the photos to her co-workers and delighted them with the story of her moose rescue. Some of Howie’s co-workers are even referring to her as a “moose whisperer.”
Howie was happy to be in the right place at the right time. Had she not come along, there’s no telling how long the calf would have been trapped. More than a moose whisperer, Howie is a moose hero.
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