‘Shoebert’ the spectacle seal leaves pond, waddles to police station

By WCVB Staff

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    BEVERLY, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A gray seal that has become a spectacle in Beverly crawled out of the freshwater pond where it’s been drawing onlookers and waddled to look the city’s police station.

The seal, nicknamed Shoebert, was first spotted in Shoe Pond last week on the west side of the Cummings Center, a business park.

As NOAA Fisheries and local animal control officers monitored the animal, it decided early Friday to wander away from the pond.

“At approximately 2:30 a.m. (Friday) we had a visit from everyone’s favorite seal Shoebert. Shoebert made his way out of the pond and traveled through the Cummings Center parking lot and came to the side door of the police station for some help,” the police department posted on Facebook.

The entire midnight shift, Beverly Animal Contol, Members of NOAA, International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Beverly Fire Department came to seal’s rescue.

“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 department posted.

The seal was taken to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut for observation before its future release to the wild.

“Thank you Shoebert for having faith in the BPD, you will be deeply missed by your friends here. Over the past week you brought a lot of joy and happiness to our city. Feel free to come back and visit anytime!” the department posted.

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