Saskatchewan towing company rescues moose from ice

A rural towing company has gained attention after a uniquely Canadian rescue using tow ropes to help a four-legged animal in distress. Allison Bamford has more.

A Saskatchewan towing company is getting plenty of attention after giving a helping hand to a moose trapped in ice.

Clint Gottinger, the owner of Rebel Towing, based in Kelvington, Sask., told CTV News he was on his way to a pair of calls on Saturday when he happened upon the stranded moose near his acreage.

“I look across that big ditch with all the water, and sure enough, there’s the poor fellow struggling. He was pretty tired, he’d given up by then, he was just sitting there,” Gottinger explained.

“I couldn’t leave him.”

The yearling had broken through a patch of thin ice after running across the frozen body of water. Gottinger believed the weary traveller had been stranded in the ice for much of the day.

Using his ramp and tow straps, Gottinger positioned his truck to act as a bridge to the road.

After some initial misfires and repositioning, the moose eventually broke free from the ice.

“He just sat there patiently and I put the sling around his butt and popped him right out,” Gottinger explained. “Slid the deck back up onto the road there, and he was so tired and exhausted that he just sat there.”

Putting the day’s business on hold for a moment, Gottinger put his truck in reverse and returned home.

“I phoned the wife on the way and I said, ‘Could you get some blankets please? I’m coming home with a moose,’” he recalled, laughing.

After setting down his newfound companion near his home, Gottinger worked to make the animal comfortable after what one could assume was a traumatizing experience.

“We did bring out some oats for him and put in front of his face, but he wasn’t hungry yet,” Gottinger explained.

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While the water rescue was in progress, Gottinger said he was receiving messages from those who originally called him for a tow, which required a bit of an explanation.

“I explained to them about the moose in the ice. They were very good about it. They were understanding. ‘Oh, take your time, no problem,’” Gottinger said. “But I did have to show proof when I saw them.”

Later that evening, the moose did stand back up. Curious to see if the day’s events would allow him to get close enough for another pet, Gottinger went outside to check.

“I went to him again, I wanted to see if he was still kind of tame. But then not so much. He gave a little snort, and then he picked up his front leg and I went ‘Oh, you’re still wild. Okay,’” Gottinger laughed.

The moose did stay on Gottinger’s property through the night and morning, before heading back into the wild the following afternoon.

In his 12 years of operating a towing service, Gottinger told CTV News that Saturday marked his first moose rescue and only his water recovery.

When asked about why he stopped in the first place, his answer was simple.

“I just couldn’t see an animal suffer,” he said.

However, Gottinger also joked he had to waive his usual fee in this particular case.

“He didn’t have no roadside assistance or cash,” he laughed. “I couldn’t compound him.”