Moose rescued after being found trapped in Colorado basement

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (TND) — A family in Colorado had quite the unexpected houseguest!

A moose grazing nearby apparently fell down a snow-covered window well into a house's basement, where it became trapped, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) says in a news release.

CPW officers were called to the residence on Jan. 10 and attempted to create exits for the animal, but they could not get the moose to climb a set of stairs and leave.

A photo shared by CPW shows the moose standing patiently next to a ping pong table in the finished basement.

The large animal had to be tranquilized and its antlers had to be cut off so it could fit up the basement steps. Doing this ensured no significant damage was done to the home or the animal.

It was a great team effort, and other than a small cut on its leg, the moose appeared to be healthy,” CPW District Wildlife Manager Jake Kay says in the release.

Those worried about the moose's antlers can take relief in knowing the animal usually sheds its antlers this time each year and will grow a new set in the spring, CPW says.

The moose was reportedly safely removed from the home and released back into what the CPW calls the "quality moose habitat" known as the great outdoors.

While this incident was obviously unintended by all parties, CPW does have some tips to avoid such incidents in the future.

It’s important that window wells allow people in a home to escape in the event of an emergency, but at times they can be hazards to wildlife,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington says in the release. “Removing vegetation that may attract wildlife around the vicinity of window wells and covering below ground window wells with approved grates that allow people to escape will reduce the likelihood of wildlife becoming trapped, or in this case, having an unwelcome visitor in the home.