March 9 (UPI) -- Police and firefighters responded to a Colorado home to conduct an unusual rescue when an elk fell into a home's window well.
Molly Neifert said she and her family were at their home in Eagle when they heard a commotion outside their basement window about 11:30 p.m.
Neifert said she was surprised to discover an elk had fallen into the window well.
"I couldn't believe she fit in there," Neifert told Vail Daily. "She barely had any room to move."
Neifert contacted the Eagle Police Department, and responding officers contacted Colorado Parks and Wildlife, but no wildlife officers were available.
Police and personnel from the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District hatched a plan to rescue the animal.
"She did break the window, so we were concerned that if she stayed in there much longer she could cut herself," Neifert said.
The rescuers wrapped the elk in a blanket and hoisted the trapped animal out of the 6-foot-deep window well. The elk rested for a short time before running off.
"We were all so relieved to see her quickly run away, she didn't look hurt at all," Neifert said.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers responded to a similar situation in January, when a Breckenridge resident reported an even larger animal -- a moose -- had fallen into a window well. The moose broke through the window and became trapped in the home's basement.
Wildlife officers were able to tranquilize the moose and remove its antlers so it could be carried up the basement stairs and out of the house.
