A New Canaan dog’s owner had his 9-year-old Wheaten terrier euthanized after the animal got loose one afternoon earlier this month, attacking and injuring another dog in the neighborhood, police said.
The offending dog, Rosie, got off of her Fairty Drive property around 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, according to a New Canaan Police Department incident report obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a Freedom of Information request.
Responding to a report of a roaming dog, Animal Control Officer Jillian Bosch arrived at a nearby home on Brooks Road and there encountered two local women, one of whom was holding Rosie, according to the incident report.
The woman said she had been watching two dogs playing in a yard there while a teenage boy played hockey, according to Bosch’s report. She “observed the unknown dog begin to attack” the teen’s dog, then “ran to help and tried to separate the dogs” while the other woman phoned 9-1-1, the report said.
They managed to separate the dogs and Bosch placed the biting animal in the NCPD Animal Control van, it said. The teen’s dog had been injured and the boy later told Bosch that he’d been scratched while trying to separate the animals during the attack, the report said.
Bosch said she saw blood but was unsure at first which dog it came from.
“I then examined the [victim] dog, now known to me as ‘Winny,’ I found one puncture wound to the right front shoulder area,” Bosch wrote in the report. “When I palpitated her shoulder ‘Winny’ turned to me as though she was in pain, at which time I stopped the examination.”
Bosch then found contact information for Rosie’s owner, John Lane, and reached him by phone, according to the report.
Under state law, a dog that bites or scratches another dog or human must undergo a 14-day quarantine at a facility such as an animal hospital if the incident happens away from the dog’s home. Bosch said Lane indicated he understood and supplied her with the name of his veterinarian at Norwalk Veterinary Hospital, the report said.
“Upon contact with Norwalk Veterinary Hospital it was determined that ‘Rosie’ had an expired rabies vaccine as of Aug. 17, 2017,” the report said. “I then made arrangements for ‘Rosie’ to go to the Boarding House, a facility affiliated with Norwalk Veterinary Hospital for her quarantine.”
Bosch continued: “I contacted Lane and advised him that Rosie’s rabies vaccine had expired and that I would be transporting Rosie to the Boarding House for the quarantine period. Lane was adamant that Rose was up to date and indicated he would locate the paperwork when he returned.”
The Animal Control officer transported Rosie to the Boarding House for the quarantine and, since Lane was unable to find proof of rabies vaccination, gave instructions that the dog must be vaccinated prior to leaving the facility Oct. 21 (which would have been end of the two-week quarantine), Bosch said in the incident report.
While Rosie was in quarantine, on Monday, Oct. 16, a neighbor of the Lanes on Fairty Drive— Kristen Grzymski—emailed Bosch, copying the police chief, saying she had concerns about the dog and “the safety of the neighborhood,” the report said.
Grzymski came in to the Police Department that morning and learned that Rosie was on track to be released back to her home on Oct. 21, the report said.
“I further related that Lane was advised regarding the severity of the situation and prevention methods,” the report said.
Yet six hours later, at 3:20 p.m., a staff member at the veterinary hospital phoned Bosch to say that the Lane family decided to have Rosie euthanized at the end of her quarantine, the report said.
The following afternoon, Oct. 17, the same staff member phoned again to say the Lanes decided to have Rosie euthanized immediately, the report said.
The dog was put down some time before 2:30 p.m., when Bosch said she received a confirmation call from the vet hospital, which agreed to have Rosie’s body sent to a state lab for rabies testing, according to the incident report.
Bosch then notified the teen’s family and Grzymski “advising that the Lane dog would not be returning to Fairty Drive,” the report said.
The rabies test came back negative.
A very sad outcome. No one seems to know if Rosie actually initiated the attack but it was a confusing incident for all. Did Rosie have other such encounters that caused the Lane family to have her put to death rather than risk future events? If only the rabies test was consulted before that decision. I feel sad for everyone involved.
If only owners would be careful!
Why was Rosie able to get out?
No dog should be loose –
Rosie greeted me in my back yard one day with a wagging tail and a gentle demeanor. She let me pet her and hold her collar as I walked her home, never once, showing any signs of aggression toward me, or my visiting dog. Rosie was no more of a “Safety Concern” to the neighborhood then are the 3 ton suv’s that speed down Fairty drive everyday. While I do hope the other dog is feeling better, the neighbors are treating this dog like she was a stray wolf. Like any 2 boys that might fight in the neighborhood – later, apologies are exchanged – and life goes on. But not for Rosie, she doesn’t get that chance. R.I.P. Rosie
Dog Owners, beware – this could happen to you. Yes you. It’s not just “those people” with “those kind of dogs”. If your child, child’s friend, or anyone in the household leaves the door open and your dog escapes…even for a short time…know that your dog’s life is at risk with hysterical (third party!!) people making a mountain out of a molehill. Dogs get out – dogs make mistakes. An error and a scuffle between dogs should not result in death. Are you so perfect your dogs have never gotten away from you, your babysitter, or anyone? Think carefully.
I hope the injured dog heals quickly.
As for “safety” in the neighborhood, it would be more productive to target the texters and speeders. Not a helpless family dog.