Animal 411

Black Bear Sighted Friday in Area of Irwin Park

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The head of Animal Control in New Canaan is reminding residents to back away slowly and never turn their back on a bear if they come upon one while walking, following another sighting at Irwin Park last week. Multiple residents reported seeing a black bear in the Weed Street area of Irwin at around 7 p.m. last Friday. “Make yourself look large and make a lot of noise” if a bear is near while walking, according to Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn. “If possible, get into your car, home or garage.”

New Canaan is seeing an increasing number of black bears because their overall population is rising steadily, Godejohn said. 

A black bear was seen last summer in Irwin. Black bears typically breed in late June or early July, according to the state.

Animal 411

FOUND: French Bulldog Missing in New Canaan [UPDATED]

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Update June 8
Zazu was found at about 6 p.m. Friday. She’s safe. ***

Original Article

The owners of an 11-year-old French bulldog that went missing Wednesday afternoon are asking for help locating her. Zazu went missing from the area of North Wilton and South Bald Hill Roads around 2:30 p.m. on June 5, according to owner George Thompson. The dog was staying with friends. She hasn’t gone missing before, he said.

Animal 411

Local Dog Quarantined After Biting Grocery Delivery Man

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A local dog underwent 10 days of quarantine at home after biting a grocery delivery man earlier this month, records show. The two-year-old Boxer mix attacked the man early on the afternoon of May 7, according to a New Canaan Police Department incident report obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a public records request. At about 2:18 p.m. that Tuesday, NCPD Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn was dispatched to a Thurton Drive home on a complaint of a dog bite, the incident report said. The victim “told this officer that he was bit by a dog … while delivering groceries,” Godejohn said in the report. The man had gone around the back of the home through a closed gate to make the deliveries, it said.

Animal 411

Young Owl Injured After Becoming Entangled in Soccer Net on Carter Street

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New Canaan Police are urging residents to remove soccer and lacrosse nets when not in use after an owl injured himself badly after getting entangled Tuesday morning. The call came in to Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn at about 9 a.m. from a Carter Street residence. “The owl was heavily entangled in the soccer net when I arrived,” he told NewCanaanite.com. “The owl had patches of missing feathers from where he tried to desperately free himself. The owl had a number of cuts, scrapes and lacerations from the friction of the net against the owl’s fragile wings and neck.

Animal 411

Injured Goose Found Shot with Arrow; Police Euthanize Bird

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Authorities say they were forced to euthanize a Canada goose on Tuesday after the bird had been shot by an arrow. The injured goose was spotted in the morning by a Green Meadow Lane homeowner who contacted police, according to New Canaan Police Department Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn. “The goose was struck in the rear tail feather area,” he told NewCanaanite.com. “The goose seemed to have discomfort and issues walking.”

Police are investigating. The penalty for shooting a goose with an arrow is a charge of animal cruelty, Godejohn said.