Animal 411

Animal Control: Black Bear Seen Sunday in Irwin Park Has Moved On [VIDEO]

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A bear seen Sunday in Irwin Park (see video above, courtesy of Kevin Sheridan) was traveling through town and doesn’t live here permanently, according to the head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section. The black bear “has moved back to New York,” according to Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn. “I received reports of the bear heading in that direction from three different residents,” Godejohn told NewCanaanite.com in an email when asked about the animal. “None of the bears we have in New Canaan live here. To the best of my knowledge bears come into New Canaan just to pass through from New York and Wilton.”

Even so, the sighting is a good reminder to New Canaanites that there are bears in town, Godejohn said.

Animal 411

New Canaan Police Seek Help in ID’ing Dog Owner [UPDATED]

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Update 4:30 p.m. on June 29

Animal Control located the dog’s owner. Original Story

New Canaan Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a dog owner. On Tuesday afternoon, the man’s dog was involved in an incident on Main Street and police want to contact him, according to a press bulletin issued by Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn. It wasn’t immediately clear what the incident involved. Police said only that they’re interested in speaking to the dog’s owner.

Animal 411

Animal Control: Renew Your Dog’s License by June 30

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Municipal officials are urging residents to renew their dogs’ licenses with the town, as a June 30 deadline nears. Under state law, dogs are required to be licensed when they’re six months or older, and must have a rabies vaccination, according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. “We had over 2,700 licensed dogs last year and we’re going to pursue increasing that number,” Halm said. The town does enforce a $75 fine for unlicensed dogs, she added. Those with dogs that are not spayed or neutered pay a slightly higher licensing fee, Halm said.

Animal 411

New Canaan Animal Control: Be Aware of Turtles in the Road

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New Canaan Police are urging residents to be aware of turtles crossing local roads as their nesting season runs through June. Motorists should slow down and, if they see a snapping or painted turtle crossing the road “you are brave enough to pick one up and move it, send it in the direction it’s headed,” according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. “Don’t turn it around because it will only turn around and cross the road again,” Halm said. “They are a valuable source to all ponds and are a prehistoric creature we should respect.”

The active season for the common snapping turtle is April through November, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, with nesting from late May through June. “Snapping turtles rarely leave their aquatic habitat except during the breeding season, at which time females travel great distances in search of a place to dig a nest and lay eggs,” according to DEEP.

Animal 411

Meet Sean Godejohn, Our New Animal Control Officer [Q&A]

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Sean Godejohn, New Canaan’s new animal control officer, started in his position this month, working with Officer Allyson Halm, who is retiring this summer after eight years in the job. A graduate of Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury, Godejohn holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice and law enforcement from Naugatuck Valley Community College. We caught up with Godejohn on a recent morning at New Canaan Police headquarters. 

Here’s our interview. New Canaanite: What was your position prior to coming to New Canaan? Officer Sean Godejohn: I was the East Haven Animal Control Officer. 

And how long were you in that role? 

Eight years. 

What did you do prior to East Haven?