Roaming reindeer captured in Butte

March 11, 2005

BOB MARTINSON/Frontiersman reporter

BUTTE - A quartet of loose reindeer seen crossing the Glenn Highway near Maud Road on Wednesday morning were rounded up that evening by Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation officers.

Arley Reed Lewis was taking her daughter to school Wednesday morning when she saw something white moving in the road. The Butte woman said she thought to herself, "What is that?" It turned out to be what she described as "four beautiful animals" - reindeer - crossing the Old Glenn Highway near Maud Road.

She said that some of her neighbors who were "hunter types," thought they could actually could have been caribou that had come into the area, but Animal Care and Regulation personnel said they were neither escapees from the Williams reindeer farm nor caribou, but reindeer that had escaped another Valley resident's containment area.

Officer Matt Hardwig said they had been loose since "at least 5:30 last night, Tuesday."

The reindeer were captured with the help of Tom Williams, owner of the reindeer farm, at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. Officers used tranquilizers and Animal Care and Regulation Chief Dave Allison said the animals were relocated to Williams' farm, as their previous containment was not ready to hold the animals.

"So we have four happy and healthy animals back in captivity and not a problem to the community," Allison said.

Steve Van Trobles was identified by Allison as the owner of the reindeer. Allison said they worked with the animals' caretaker to try to coax them and rope them.

Hardwig said the reindeer were somewhat skittish while Animal Care personnel were trying to catch them, but that he had one of them chewing on his hat for a moment.

Lazy Mountain resident Dan Pollock said he saw the animals walk by his windows a few days ago and thought it was "a pretty strange sight to see way out here." Pollock said the animals appeared tame.