“The Christmas goose,” police wrote. “In olden days (we’re thinking, like, Charles Dickens ‘Christmas Carol’ days) it was a staple of traditional holiday dinners. But thanks to three compassionate Massachusetts State Troopers and the Animal Rescue League, there is one goose that received much more humane treatment this Christmas season, and has a good life ahead of him.”

The goose named Cadbury was taken into custody and has been put up for adoption.

State Police posted photos and video of the wayward goose Thursday on Facebook and shared the story of how it was caught.

“One night a few weeks ago, State Police-Revere received a call reporting that a goose had been walking around on Constitution Beach in East Boston all day. The caller was concerned for the safety of the goose, which seemed to be domesticated. MSP Sgt. Edward Troy, Troopers Carlo Mastromattei and Pasquale Zollo Jr., along with Animal Rescue League Officer Dianne Begonis, responded to the beach to corral the wayward bird and get him to safety.”

State Police said it took more than an hour to corral the goose. Once the bird was in custody, the Animal Rescue League of Boston took the goose to its shelter in Brewster. The goose, which was named Cadbury, was given “a clean bill of health” and has been put for adoption, along with two potbellied pigs named Turner and Hooch. Anyone interested in adopting any (or all) of them should contact the Animal Rescue League of Boston at 617-426-9170.


“We never found out where Cadbury initially came from when we found him that night on the beach in East Boston, but we (and he) are glad he will be enjoying his holiday safe and sound, and are proud of the work done by the Troopers and ARL officer who saved him,” police wrote.


Mike DeFina, a spokesman for Animal Rescue League of Boston, saw Cadbury at the Brewster shelter Friday morning.

“He’s doing very well and is really quite a striking domesticated goose,” DeFina said in an e-mail.

Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @emilysweeney.