An unidentified garbage truck driver in Anchorage, Alaska, started the year off on the wrong foot after harassing a member of Alaska's most famous wildlife species: a moose.
The man, who worked for Northern Waste, was filmed chasing a young Alaska moose down a neighborhood street with his garbage truck.
The video, originally posted on the Nextdoor app and then uploaded to YouTube, shows the truck driving aggressively following right behind the obviously terrified moose. The driver honks the horn, speeding down the snow-covered road after the young, yearling moose. The moose eventually manages to hop up a snow berm and get away. The video ends with the truck stopped at a stop sign and the moose walking away around the corner.
The neighbor who filmed the clip apparently called Northern Waste immediately after and sent it the video. The company responded by immediately firing the driver and calling him out on its Facebook page.
"We are disgusting by this one person's bad decision and we have taken the highest level of disciplinary action to ensure this never happens again," Northern Waste wrote in the post.
Northern Waste also told Alaska Daily News that it has a zero-tolerance policy for employees who drive recklessly or haze wildlife. The company said it will put the rest of its employees through a wildlife training program, hosted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
The driver who chased the moose could face additional charges from the state, beyond simply being fired, as it is against Alaska law to harass wildlife. Any further citations will be determined by Alaska wildlife troopers.
Many commentators on Northern Waste's Facebook post about the incident expressed a desire for the employee's name to be released and for him to face further charges and punishments.
"How about y'all expose him so he can't ever get another job in the state again?" one commenter wrote.
Others stood behind Northern Waste, including Amanda Johnson, who wrote, "I have high regards for the company and team of individuals who handled this situation swiftly based solely on the information in the post and will continue to use their services."
Wildlife, and in particular moose, are a common sight in Anchorage, despite being a city of nearly 300,000 people. Moose frequently roam the neighborhood streets, sleep in people's yards, and even walk into the hospital. During the winter months, particularly a winter as snowy as this one (Anchorage has already had a record snow year), moose take to the roads more often for easier travel.
Alaskans by and large have learned to live with the massive ungulates and give them a healthy distance.
READ MORE: Free Moose Meat for Locals: Alaska's Roadkill Salvage Program
