Allyson Halm

Animal Calls: Raccoon Shot, Dog Struck by Car, Rabid Bat

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What follows is a rundown on recent animal-related police calls. Officer Allyson Halm, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section, provided information when asked about these cases. ***

The Devonwood Lane owner of a Great Pyrenees dog on Sept. 5 was issued a $92 ticket for allowing a dog to roam. It’s the third time this year that the same dog has been found roaming and its owner cited for the infraction-level violation (Feb.

Animal 411

Beanie Banks, 13

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Beanie Banks, cherished Weimaraner of Elizabeth Oei, died Friday, Sept. 11 following a diagnosis earlier this year of nasal adenocarcinoma. He was 13. Beanie was predeceased by brother Cosmo. Born Aug.

Animal 411

Goat in Irwin Park Gets Head Stuck in Fence

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One of the goats at Irwin Park got its head stuck in a fence Sunday morning, prompting a passerby to phone authorities. 

Members of the New Canaan Fire Department responded to a call about the difficulty at about 9:31 a.m., according to dispatch records. According to Fire Capt. John Raidt, the goat in question—one of three brought in last summer to help rid the property of invasive plants—routinely gets its head stuck in the wire fence that forms a corral at the western end of the park. “That’s why they are not at the top of the food chain, but people do stupid things too,” Raidt said. By the time firefighters arrived, the goat had freed itself. “No special tools, no tactics,” Raidt said of the Fire Department’s rescue.

Animal 411

Animal Control: Leave Your Dogs At Home

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Police are urging residents to keep their pets cool and safe amid yet another sustained heat wave this summer. Residents can be seen running with their dogs at Waveny or along South Avenue “and I don’t think they realize how hot that pavement is,” according to Officer Allyson Halm, head of the New Canaan Police Department. “It is so unnecessary and dangerous,” she said. “It’s OK the early morning or maybe in the evening If it cooled down, but definitely not in the heat of the day. And dogs don’t cool like we do, so you don’t realize that when a dog is lagging behind, they are saying ‘stop.’ ”

The National Weather Service has plated the area under a Heat Advisory through 8 p.m. Wednesday, saying “hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.” 

“A Heat Advisory is issued when the combination of heat and humidity is expected to make it feel like it is 95 to 99 degrees for two or more consecutive days, or 100 to 104 degrees for any length of time,” the organization said.

Animal 411

Police Seek Owner of Cat That Scratched Human

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Police say they’re seeking the owner of a cat found in the area of Husted Lane, near the Locust Avenue parking lot in downtown New Canaan. The domestic short-hair tabby “accidentally scratched a New Canaan resident” Friday, according to a press release from the New Canaan Police Department. She’s being quarantined until the owner is found, the press release said. The cat is a female tricolor with a distinct black collar with cross bones and skulls, police said. Dogs and cats must undergo a state-required quarantine for when they bite or scratch humans while off-property.