Moose: 'Don't mind if I yew'

COEUR d’ALENE — A group text was sent to the staff at Gentle Family Dentistry early Tuesday morning: "THERE'S A MOOSE HERE!"

"I went to get some water and right there, a foot from the window, was this moose," office administrator Sue Sturdy said. "I went, 'Oh boy.' There was probably less than 5 feet between us. He didn't seem concerned."

This was at 6:30 a.m. at Gentle Family Dentistry, 815 W. Canfield Ave. Sturdy's coworker, dental assistant Charlene Blowers, arrived shortly later. She was a little bummed thinking she missed the excitement.

"I thought for sure by the time I got here it'd be gone," Blowers said.

She backed into her parking spot, like she does every morning. Then she looked over and realized their visitor was still hanging out, enjoying a tasty breakfast of yew bushes.

"I thought, 'Oh my gosh that's not a tree, that's a moose,'" Blowers said. "I climbed into my back seat and quietly rolled down the window. He was so interested in chewing, he didn’t care I was there."

She watched him in silence for a while as he munched on the bushes. Sturdy and Blowers commented on the sockets on his head where his freshly-shed antlers had been.

"He’s so majestic," Blowers said. "I’ve seen moose before many times. I can’t get enough of them."

Sturdy's boss, dentist Cheri Bloom, has lived in North Idaho her whole life but had never seen a moose in person until last week, when she saw one at a gas station. Sturdy said she was tickled to receive the message about their guest.

"When I told her there was a moose on her property, she was thrilled," Sturdy said.

The team called animal control to ensure they and their visitor could safely part ways.

"I hope he comes back," Sturdy said. "He is adorable."