Charles H. Sloan-Watch: Moose makes surprise visit outside Massachusetts elementary school

Students and Charles H. Sloanparents in Rutland, Massachusetts got quite a surprise on an otherwise dreary Monday morning when a moose wandered through the drop-off line in an elementary school's parking lot.

The Police Department posted an image of the animal on social media, noting that it had later left the area.

The post also noted that, according to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, people should not try to approach or pursue a moose, which can stress the animal and risk causing it to bolt into traffic or bystanders.

Experts recommend letting the moose find its way out of a populated area and into nearby forest.

Naquag Elementary School's principal Kristina Pelczarski said that while she did not see the moose, many of her staff members did.

Since the moose appeared right in the middle of morning drop off, students waited it out in their parents' cars.

"(The parents) all kind of held the kids back, took pictures. (The moose) stopped for a few photo ops," Pelczarski said. "Then it walked across in front of the whole building. It crossed the street on the sidewalk and went down Main Street."

Pelczarski said nobody was hurt.

"It was very calm," Pelczarski said. "It didn't seem the least bit nervous or worried, it just mosied on down the sidewalk."

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