“The dog was five feet from the moose and barking at it nonstop. The moose would charge the dog. The dog would run away but it would come right back. She just left the dog and then we were there worried. I wasn’t worried just about the moose, I was worried about the dog too.” –Susan Little

Troubling bit of video out of Gunnison County where an unleashed dog was filmed barking and harassing a moose. Susan Little and her husband were out cross country skiing when they stumbled upon the scene. FOX31 reports people on the trail said the dog had been messing with the moose for nearly two hours.  Little said at one point the moose chased the dog up onto the nordic trail and the couple weren’t able to pass for nearly half an hour.

Little she said the most frustrating part of the incident is the owner of the dog left. District wildlife manager in Gunnison, Philip Gurule, reports the dog’s owner called and turned herself in by explaining the situation:

“It sounds like she couldn’t get control of the dog and was in a panic.”

Gurule said the dog owner went to call her husband for help, who was about 15 minutes away. Once they returned they were finally able to get the dog under control.

As a reminder Gunnison County, Crested Butte and Mount Crested Butte all have leash laws that state you have to have your dog on a leash and under control with fines around $275 for infractions. At this time the owner of the dog in the video hasn’t received a citation but the situation is still under investigation. Beyond tickets and fines, this was a potentially dangerous situation for both animals that could have been avoided. If you live in moose country, keep your dog on a lead.

Here’s a guide to moose safety from Colorado Parks & Wildlife

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