It was a tempting green hedgerow for the hungry young moose. Somehow, a child's swing set got in the way. The moose, who was trying to snack on a backyard hedge Thursday, got tangled in the swing set's chains. The homeowner called police for help.
Lt. Jean LeBlanc decided he needed backup, so he called Don Valliere, maintenance man for the Berlin Police, and asked him to bring a pair of bolt cutters.
It was up to Valliere, 54, to free the moose. Photos snapped by LeBlanc show Valliere balanced on a beam of the swing set, snipping the chains — just a couple of feet from the 400-pound adolescent moose.
"It didn't like the idea too much that I stayed close to it, but it stayed calm," Valliere said Friday. "The only thing I was nervous about was getting bit."
The rescue went smoothly and the moose was freed. It left without looking back.
"It just real slow, just walked away," Valliere said.