PARK CITY, Utah — Summit County residents are mourning the loss of a beloved moose, Roxii, who was described to be a "fixture" and a symbol of "majestic wildlife" in the community.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office began a post on social media saying Sunday was a very difficult day for deputies and the community as they said goodbye to a "beautiful creature who was a treasured fixture in [the] community."
Roxii the moose raised "countless calves" in Pinebrook, Summit Park and Jeremy Ranch and the community loved her constant presence, always being careful to keep her safe by giving her respect and space.
"Roxii was not only a symbol of the majestic wildlife of our community, but also a testament to the human compassion and kindness that is abundant in our county," the tribute reads in part.
In a video sent to FOX 13 News by Nanci Done, Roxii is seen with a serious and painful-looking limp, barely able to walk or move.
"I want to share with our residents that it was extremely painful for the deputy to take her life," Summit County Sheriff Frank Smith wrote online. "I am grateful to the deputy for having the courage to make such a difficult decision and be the person who brought her beautiful life to an end."
Sheriff Smith said that while it's sometimes best to "let nature take its course," it was decided to be in the best interest of Roxii and the community to bring her life to a peaceful close.
"Local law enforcement does not have the ability to tranquilize wild animals, but we are trained to quickly and humanely end the suffering of an animal with a firearm," Smith continued.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed to FOX 13 News that it had authorized the deputy to euthanize the animal after receiving reports Saturday that the moose had at least one broken hind leg and was unable to stand.
"It is not feasible to rehabilitate big game animals in Utah, due to disease concerns, low survival rates of wildlife that are acclimated to people, and a lack of resources. So when an animal is injured and becomes immobile, there aren’t other options besides humanely euthanizing the animal," DWR's statement read.
The DWR said they had previously attempted to tranquilize Roxii and move her to a more wild habitat because she was "frequenting roads and neighborhoods in the Park City area."
However, the agency says, a resident "impeded."
"As a result, the moose was left within the city limits, rather than being relocated to a safer mountain location," the DWR said. "It is important for the public to not interfere with DWR efforts to relocate animals, to not feed wildlife and to not draw them to residential areas or roadways, due to safety concerns to people and the animal."
Community members flooded social media with tributes of a moose who they considered a member of their neighborhoods, saying she would be missed.
In memory of Roxii, Sheriff Smith asked that the community be good stewards of wildlife by driving safely and constantly monitoring for wildlife on the roads.
