WDFW: ‘Leave it to the professionals’ after Snoqualmie officers save stuck elk
Sep 11, 2024, 3:22 PM | Updated: 4:32 pm
Snoqualmie Police Department officers were able to free a stuck elk. (Photo courtesy of the Snoqualmie Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Snoqualmie Police Department)
Snoqualmie Police Department officers were able to free a stuck elk Monday night.
The animal got its antlers wrapped in a fence.
“With teamwork, our officers carefully freed him, ensuring he was safe and unharmed before he happily bounded back into the wild,” the department wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
Snoqualmie Police uploaded a video of the rescue, to watch, click below:
View this post on Instagram
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“It’s moments like these that remind us of the compassion and dedication of our Snoqualmie & North Bend officers,” the department wrote. “Thank you Snoqualmie PD, for going above and beyond to protect all members of our community, two-legged and four-legged alike!”
When it comes to rescuing wildlife, Staci Lehman with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), encouraged people to call their regional WDFW office rather than helping the animal themselves.
North Puget Sound – Region 4 includes Island, King, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom Counties. The phone number is 425-775-1311 with offices open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Thursdays from noon through 4 p.m.
For contact information on each region, visit WDFW’s website.
Lehman also recommended calling WILDCOMM, the agency’s communications center, at 360-902-2936.
Lastly, Lehman said rather than someone taking matters into their own hands, call 911 if the situation is warranted .
“Wild animals don’t understand that people are trying to help them and can panic and fight to try to get away,” Lehman wrote in an email to MyNorthwest on Tuesday. “Antlers and hooves can cause serious injuries so we ask community members to leave rescues to the professionals.”
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She noted an expert will decide the safest way to move forward.
“Some rescues, such as when wildlife fall through frozen rivers or lakes, are even more dangerous so every situation is assessed and a plan made on the safest way to move forward,” Lehman stated. “In some unfortunate cases, the situation is too dangerous even for trained staff and we have to let nature take its course.”
Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.
