Moose Shot Dead in Connecticut Town After Spate of Sightings

A day earlier, a moose roaming in New Milford created a buzz on social media

A moose on the loose in New Britain, Conn., was shot and killed Wednesday by state officials who said it was a public safety hazard.

A day earlier, a moose roamed through backyards and back roads in New Milford, about 45 miles from New Britain, creating a buzz on Twitter and inspiring a Facebook page for Marty the New Milford Moose. It's not clear if this was the same moose killed in New Britain.

Officials warned that moose are dangerous, particularly on roadways. Moose can charge at people, and if they strike a vehicle they are more likely to go through a windshield because of their height.

The moose killed Wednesday had been spotted on West Main Street in New Britain, according to police, and it crossed Route 72 twice in the morning.

"It was going to go into the highway so there was no other choice. It’s unfortunate and an action we only take as a last resort but public safety has to come first," the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said in an email.

Connecticut has about 100 to 150 moose mostly in the northeastern and northwestern wooded corners of the state. 

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