A shocking video, shared to YouTube by NBC News, shows an unsuspecting dogwalker get attacked from behind by a moose in Anchorage, Alaska.

The attack was captured on video by a passenger in a passing vehicle, who tried to warn the dog walker before it was too late.

In an interview with Alaska News Source, the victim, Tracy Hansen, reported that the moose kicked her in the head. Fortunately neither her nor her dog sustained serious injuries.

Check out the video below:

Though the attack may seem to be unprovoked, this behavior by the moose is not necessarily surprising. Moose can be very aggressive animals, especially in the presence of dogs. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), moose often react to dogs as they would react to wolves, which are their natural predators. This includes attempting to trample them if the opportunity presents itself.

A similar situation had deadly consequences in 2021, when a dog was stomped to death in front of its owners while they were hiking on the Masontown trail in Frisco, Colorado.

Colorado is home to healthy moose populations throughout the state, so it is important to know what to do if you run into one.

If you see a moose, do not approach it. Observe its behavior and back away slowly. Make sure to keep you dogs on a leash and close to you. If the animal exhibits aggressive behavior or begins to charge, CPW instructs you to “run as fast as you can and try to put a large object between you such as a boulder, car, or tree.”

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