PETAWAWA — On Monday, September 18 at approximately 8:30 a.m. the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP responded to a report of a bull moose wandering in the area of the Limestone subdivision in the Town of Petawawa. Conservation Officers with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) also responded to the area.
Over the course of the morning the moose made its way south across Petawawa Boulevard where it appeared to become distressed, exhausted and overheated. Attempts were made to cool the moose with water with the assistance of firefighters from the Town of Petawawa.
Efforts to direct the moose out of the residential area were unsuccessful as the OPP and MNR were hampered by members of the public who gathered in the area to take photographs of it.
This can cause undue stress to the animal and can also result in traffic hazards as people park along highways and across roadways to get closer to the animal.
Shortly after 12 noon, near the intersection of Bedard Boulevard and Nick Street, the moose was dispatched by police as it charged a Conservation Officer from the MNR.
The OPP urges members of the public to leave wild animals alone.
Seeing a moose or other forms of wildlife in a residential area can be a novelty but the public is advised it is best to move on and leave the animal alone. In situations where the animal poses a risk to public safety the OPP and the MNR should be notified.
