Bamboo Garden Rumors Come to an End

Steve Pew, the environmental health director for the health department was in the area on Friday afternoon and arrived at Bamboo Gardens within 15 minutes to investigate.

Pew was reported saying that the coyote was wrapped in plastic and was being stored in a separate area from the food. He also said that restaurant officials didn't plan to have the animal stored there; it was due to unintentional set of circumstances that caused them to place it in one of the restaurant's freezer.

After the Health Inspector found the coyote in the freezer, the owner of Bamboo gardens wasted no time to immediately dispose of the animal.

"If people want to continue eating there, there really is no risk of them experiencing something negative based on this incident," said Maggie Mann, the District Director of Southeast Idaho Public Health.

The health department said that Idaho Health codes allow restaurants to store wild game in their restaurants as long as they are completely separated from the food and food preparation facilities.

"No other wild game was found in the establishment so we think this was just a very rare occurrence and we consider it to be over and done with," added Mann.

Speaking with restaurant officials, they say that the Health Department did clear them to continue with business and they wanted to thank all their loyal customers for supporting them through this time.

"But our food establishments do a really good job. They recognize that people's health is in their hands. I think most of them do a very good job following appropriate procedures to reduce the likely hood of a food borne outbreak occurring in this establishment," said Maggie Mann.