Animal 411

Animal Control: Black Bear Seen on Briscoe Road

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The first black bear sighting of the year came into the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control Section on Tuesday morning, officials said. A large bear was spotted in passing through a backyard on Briscoe Road, near the New York state line, according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. “I’ve had reports of scat sightings but this is first actual bear sighting,” Halm said. New Canaan has seen a rise in black bear sightings in recent years, and Halm herself underwent training and received certification in March to carry bear spray in case of an encounter with the animal. With so many families having moved into town during the pandemic, Halm said she was eager to make sure new residents are aware that it’s not unusual to see a bear here.

Allyson Halm

New Canaan Animal Control: Leave Fawns Found in Yards, Woods Alone

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The head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section is urging residents to leave the fawns they’re finding on lawns, in the woods and other areas of their properties alone for 24 hours after spotting the newborn deer. The mothers of fawns are typically “in calling distance and will return within seven to eight hours,” Officer Allyson Halm said. “Fawns are hard-wired to lay perfectly still and are odorless which protects them against predators,” she said. Animal Control has been fielding phone calls daily from residents about fawns being left alone. On Monday, as West School prepared for its Field Day activities, officials there found a fawn curled up by a backstop, Halm said.

Allyson Halm

Animal Control Reminds Dog Owners to License Pets as Deadline Nears

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Town officials are urging dog-owners to renew their pets’ licenses as a June 30 deadline approaches. Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said she wants people to know “how important [licensing your dog] is.” 

“Follow the rules, follow the laws,” she said. 

Dogs are property under state law, and licenses must be renewed by July 1. Residents should obtain and renew dog licenses through the Town Clerk’s Office (more information here). 

Town Clerk Claudia Weber said many local dog owners currently “are having difficulty licensing their dogs online due to a computer glitch with the software program.” “We’ve been getting lots of emails and calls about this,” she said. “We are working diligently to correct the problem, and hope to have it resolved in another 24-48 hours.

Allyson Halm

New Canaan Animal Control: Watch Out for Turtles in the Road

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The head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section is warning residents to watch out for snapping turtles crossing the roads now that their nesting season is underway. The season runs in May and June, when females leave their ponds to lay eggs on dry land. The mother turtles often cross roads or end up in swimming pools during this time, according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. 

“They’re on a sort of migrating path that nothing should get in their way,” she said. “They’re just determined to take this direction.”

Animal Control has received a number of calls recently to help guide turtles safely, Halm said. She responded to a call on Silvermine Road this past weekend, where a painted turtle was crossing the busy residential road. 

Although many people fear the prehistoric turtle, there are ways to help them, according to Halm. 

Migration patterns are key, she said, so “It’s important for people to know to not turn them around.”

She also said to avoid bringing the turtles into your car and transporting them to the reservoir or another pond site. 

Halm said that “people are brave enough to lift them,” but should keep their distance from the face to avoid snapping.

Animal 411

Police: Two Dog Bites at Spencer’s Run in Waveny

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New Canaan Police last week responded to two dog biting incidents within hours of each other at Waveny Park. At about 10:24 a.m. on May 17, a woman reached down to separate a male golden retriever that had pinned a female poodle at Spencer’s Run, New Canaan’s dog park, according to a police report. She was bit while trying to intervene and unsure which dog bit her, according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. 

Both New Canaan dogs were licensed and registered with the town to use Spencer’s Run, meaning they’re also up-to-date on their shots. 

At about 12:08 p.m. the same day, a female husky bit a male Labradoodle at the dog run after both of them went running after the same tennis ball, according to a police report. The victim dog suffered puncture wounds on his chest and face, the report said, and required medical attention. Asked about the incidents, Halm said, “You enter at your own risk.