Moose rescued after falling through icy Newman Lake

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http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=10146234

Moose rescued after falling through icy Newman Lake

Posted: April 7, 2009 05:54 AM

NEWMAN LAKE, Wash. - Spokane County Sheriff's deputies believe a moose that had to be rescued after falling through a frozen Newman Lake will be just fine. Deputies were called to the lake after a person that lives on the shore called to report a moose had fallen through the ice. When the Spokane County Sheriff's Water Rescue team arrived on scene they found the moose almost fully submerged about 200 yards from shore and immediately got to work.

Four rescue team members ventured out on the ice, which was said to be cracking under their feet. Once they got to the moose, they put a rope around the moose which was already breathing very slowly. Deputy Wade Nelson says the moose was taking a breath every 30 to 40 seconds. Wade added that the moose had been working very hard to free itself from the ice.

Deputies report they also had to break away some ice from the animal in order to free it.

Team members then anchored the rope and began to pull the moose up on to solid ice at which point fire department crews arrived on scene to assist with the tow. Crews put the animal on a sled and slowly brought it back to shore. Nelson says the toughest part of the rescue was the distance the moose had to be towed.

Once back on shore, officials found the moose to be exhausted but still breathing. Nelson says that as long as the animal can breath on it's own, it will most likely survive, adding it will take around 3 to 4 hours for the moose to recover.

It took crews around 2 hours to rescue the moose.