Lost Wild Seal Rescued After Weeklong Stay in Mass. Town: 'He's Kind of a Regional Celebrity'
Beverly Police Department
A wild seal is on his way back to his natural habitat after a weeklong stay in a Massachusetts town.
Residents of Beverly, Massachusetts, first noticed the seal — named "Shoebert" by animal control officers — at the area's Shoe Pond on Sept. 15, according to The Boston Globe.
After several failed attempts to capture the animal, Shoebert was rescued early Friday morning after he left the pond and ventured onto land, making his way to the offices of the Beverly Police Department.
In a Facebook statement, the organization wrote that Shoebert "came to the side door of the police station for some help." The Beverly Police Department added that Beverly Animal Control and members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Beverly Fire Department all provided aid to the marine mammal.
"We were able to get Shoebert into a special wildlife carrier without incident. Shoebert appeared to be in good health and was a little sassy in the early morning hours," the police department wrote on social media.
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After his capture, Shoebert was transported to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. At the aquarium, the seal will undergo observation and receive any needed medical care before his future release into the wild.
"You will be deeply missed by your friends here," the Beverly Police Department concluded their post. "Over the past week, you brought a lot of joy and happiness to our city. Feel free to come back and visit anytime!"
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Steve Drohosky, a general manager of the Cummings Center that Shoebert previously traveled across, told The Boston Globe that Beverly residents believe that the seal swam into the area's Bass River before he made his way up a culvert and into a pond.
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Beverly locals couldn't help but gush and share their excitement over the news of the town's newest resident either.
Chris Wrenn — the owner of Sully's Brand, a t-shirt company in Beverly — told The Boston Globe of Shoebert: "He's kind of a regional celebrity at this point. It's almost like a children's storybook come to life."
