Animal 411

Raccoon, Turkey Survive Brushes with Dog, Car in New Canaan

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A New Canaan dog is in strict home confinement for 45 days after tussling with a raccoon at Comstock Hill Road. At about 9:24 a.m. on March 25, police learned that the pit bull ad spotted a raccoon crossing the lawn and tussled with the mammal, which escaped up a tree, police said. It isn’t clear how badly the raccoon was injured because, after the scrap, the homeowner straightaway took the dog to a local vet and when they returned, it was gone, according to Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt. “The animal came down and went on its way,” she said. ***

In a separate incident, animal control received a call at 3:49 p.m. on March 29 that a turkey had been hit by a car and injured on Danvers Lane.

Animal 411

Mangy Fox, Pair of Coyotes Seen in New Canaan [VIDEO]

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A Hampton Lane resident photographed and reported a mangy fox that appeared on her property Monday morning, police say. Residents concerned about animals that frequently appear on their properties (such as this fox) that have mange—a highly contagious, treatable skin disease—must work with their vets in order to try and get medication to the animal itself that could help, according to New Canaan Police Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt (more on that below). Other news out of Animal Control: As happened last week, another pair of coyotes appeared in town, this time on March 28 on Laurel Road. “It’s interesting to see quite a few coyotes still in pairs,” Kleinschmitt said. The animals mate for life, and around this time of year they den, so that lone males generally are seen out and about, gathering food for the females who have given birth.

Animal 411

Police: South Avenue No. 1 in Dog Waste Complaints

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Over the past two years, police have fielded more complaints about unpicked-up dog waste along the sidewalks of South Avenue than anywhere else in New Canaan, officials say. Though forbidden by town ordinance and carrying a $92 fine, the act of leaving dog waste behind has become more common and prompted police to put more officers on in the evening, said Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt. “It’s everywhere, I’m hearing it throughout the town,” she said. “A lot of complaints are coming in from South Avenue, our main, beautiful walkway.”

Kleinschmitt said that if an individual sees an individual with a dog leaving waste behind and gets a photo of that person, he or she can come to police headquarters and make a written statement about the incident and police will seek to find that individual. The comments come on the heels of complaints that some dog owners or walkers—after being booted by Lakeview Cemetery’s owners because of waste left on gravestones—are not picking up after their pets on the sidewalks along Lakeview and Millport Avenues.

Animal 411

2 Coyotes Spotted Tuesday at Deep Valley Road in New Canaan

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[Editor’s Note: The featured photo on this post is a ‘coywolf’ photographed in New Canaan, a cross between a coyote and wolf. Read more about the species here. They’re counted as coyotes in the map.]

A pair of coyotes were sighted Tuesday at the end of Deep Valley Road (near the Grupes Reservoir and St. Luke’s School), the fourth in the past week, officials say. With the warmer weather, we’re entering the most active season for coyotes (which officials say dwell in large numbers in the woods behind the Armory, on the Norwalk line).

Animal 411

Dog vs. Dog Fight Unfolds after Invisible Fence Breach

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A New Canaan homeowner has vowed to install a physical fence after his or her dog managed to get past an invisible one and tussled with another canine, police say. It happened in the area of South Avenue at Brooks Road, according to New Canaan Police Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt. At about 6:17 p.m. on March 15, a woman was walking her dog past the house when the dog, a pit bull, got through its invisible fence and “there was a dog versus dog,” Kleinschmitt said. Neither dog was injured, she said, partly because “a passerby was there and she was able to get the dogs apart by kicking one of the dogs out of the way.”

The owner, who was home, didn’t realize the dog had gotten past the invisible fence made the decision to put up a physical fence on his or her own, Kleinschmitt said. The pit bull owner was cited for nuisance dog, allowing a dog to roam and failure to license a dog, she said.