Animal 411

Animal Control: Slow Skunk Season in New Canaan

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New Canaan has seen a relatively quiet skunk season this summer, officials say, after the mammals appeared earlier than usual in the winter. Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt said she started seeing skunks in March when it was unusually cold “so a lot of them got killed off before the breeding season.”

At about 7:50 a.m. Sunday, police put down an injured skunk that a resident spotted in a Beech Road backyard. It was injured as though it had been hit by a car, Kleinschmitt said. Had the animal been in direct contact with a human or domestic pet, police would have sent its carcass to a state lab for rabies testing—but that’s a very rare thing, Kleinschmitt said. “Most animals want to stay away from skunks,” she said.

Animal 411

Bobcat Sighting on Lukes Wood Road

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Police on Thursday received a report of a bobcat sighting up on Lukes Wood Road, prompting officials to wonder whether New Canaan has two or three of the animals living in town. A New Canaan man spotted the bobcat through a window of his home, just on our side of the state line at about 8 a.m. on July 10, according to Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt. One bobcat regularly is spotted in that northernmost strip of New Canaan—typically near Ponus Ridge. Sightings also have been reported on the other side of Smith Ridge Road—in the area of North Wilton Road near the Wilton line—and down on Carter Street. Given how widely the species typically ranges—the wildcats keep one main den and may have additional ones—the three areas in New Canaan are near to enough each other that the sightings may represent two separate bobcats or three, Kleinschmitt said.

Animal 411

Police Put Down Sick Fox; Updated Coyote Sightings Map

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New Canaan Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt this week on Weed Street came across a mangy baby fox (which she doesn’t expect to live long)—a grim reminder of the widely varied wildlife here in town. What follows is a list of the most recent wildlife-related animal calls fielded by police and the department’s animal control unit, as well as an updated map plotting coyote sightings in New Canaan in 2014 (the most recent one occurred June 27, on Pocconock Trail):

7:59 p.m. on June 26: Police put down a small, sick fox that a homeowner on Willowbrook Lane spotted staggering around a small pond in the backyard. Arriving at the house, police walked within 15 feet of the fox and it didn’t appear sick or disturbed, and was unable to move away from them. 3:50 and 5:50 p.m. on June 27: Police responded to calls on South Avenue and Main Street about birds trapped in garages. In both cases, police opened up the garage doors and the birds flew out on their own.

Animal 411

Roaming Golden Doodle Picked Up on Main Street, Returned Home

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New Canaan is seeing a rash of roaming (presumably lost) dogs, including a golden doodle-type dog (tied for our town’s third-most popular dog breed) that on Monday made its way across one of the busiest roads in town—South Avenue—all the way down to Main Street, officials say. The dog went missing some late in the morning from Hathaway Common condos and was spotted by Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt and her summer intern in the area of 518 Main St.—near the intersection of Old Norwalk Road. There, Kleinschmitt said she caught up to and leashed the dog, but it didn’t want to hop into the Animal Control van—so she pulled a trick where another door in the vehicle was opened (dogs don’t like to feel cornered) and it hopped right in. The golden doodle was tagged with its updated 2014 license and police later discovered that it is being looked after by its owner’s mother, who is elderly and did not realize the dog had gone missing. Other roaming dogs spotted recently include:

6:46 p.m. on July 3: A dog (breed unspecified) was found in the area of 62 Beech Road.

New Canine-ites

New Canaan’s Most Popular Dog Breeds; Licensing Deadline Monday

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Monday, June 30 is the last day that New Canaan dog owners can license their pets with town without risking a late fee. State law requires that all dogs six months old (or older) be licensed in the town in which they reside. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required. More information is available here, including the registration form. In all, 2,924 dogs were registered in New Canaan for the 12-month period that ends Monday, according to Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt.