Animal 411

New Canaan Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt To Retire

By |

Through her 15 years as head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control unit, Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt says two unfortunate incidents in particular stand out. The first involved two dogs that ran off-property up on Strawberry Hill Road and bit badly two women walking past, and the second a golden retriever on Carter Street that mangled a delivery man’s hand. Perhaps as a result of those, Kleinschmitt said, one of the unit’s major accomplishments under her stewardship has been “getting the enforcement that New Canaan needed in the parks.”

“Our parks are people parks, and although I love to see the dogs out there, they need to be leashed so everybody feels safe. A leashed dog is going to be a safe dog.”

Roundly praised by the police chief and other town officials through her years guiding Animal Control in New Canaan, Kleinschhmitt told town officials this week that she will retire after September—a move that’s motivated by considerations of family and relaxation, she said. “I’m going to spend some time and do some traveling and skiing in the wintertime, and not get up early in the morning, but be able to sleep and spend time with my granddaughter and family,” Kleinschmitt said.

Animal 411

Sagamore Trail Woman Fined for Walking Dog Off-Leash in Residential Neighborhood

By |

A Sagamore Trail woman faces a $90 fine for violating New Canaan’s leash law after allowing her German shepherd dog to roam free on several occasions in Adams Lane area, officials said. Residents of Sagamore and Adams had seen the woman and dog walking around the neighborhood with the animal off-leash—along the side of the road and in people’s front yards—and though the practice bothered them, for a long time nobody would make a statement, according to Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control unit. A complaint had been lodged by a resident of the neighborhood back in March, but police were unable to at that time to identify the specific dog and owner, she said. Finally, on July 15 a complainant who feared the German shepherd came to police headquarters to issue a statement, and Animal Control officers found the Sagamore Trail woman and fined her for violating Section 6.8.a of the Town Code. That section reads, in part: “Except in a dog run established by the Town, no person shall bring any dog into any public park, public playground, public school grounds, public parking lot, public street or sidewalk unless the dog is on a leash or lead that is no more than 25 feet in length and under the control of its owner or keeper at all times.”

The fine comes to a total of $136 after a new $46 state fee is applied, Kleinschmit said.

Animal 411

Animal Control: Leashed Dogs Create No Problems for Birds at Bristow

By |

Regardless of how officials handle a renewed effort to ban leashed dogs from a 17-acre parcel that the town acquired eight decades ago, far more than disallowing canines would be needed to restore the former bird sanctuary that adjoins Mead Park to its original, deeded purpose, according to the head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control unit. The Town Council during a special meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday will host an informational discussion on the property commonly known as the ‘Bristow Bird Sanctuary’ (its name officially changed in 1986 to ‘The Helen and Alice Bristow Sanctuary and Wildlife Preserve’). A push to ban even leashed dogs, which goes back to at least April 2014, re-emerged in May from the Park & Recreation Commission. Advocates for the change say dogs often run off-leash in Bristow, in violation of a local ordinance, and that the property’s binding deed should be interpreted as an outright ban on dogs. (The deed itself makes no mention of dogs specfically—more on that below.)

Even so, the more pressing problem with re-introducing ground-nesting birds into Bristow is that deer have “obliterated” all ground coverage, according to Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt.

Animal 411

Out-of-Town Woman Ties Terrier Illegally To Her Own Parked Car Near Traffic

By |

Police last week responded to a complaint about a dog that had been tied with a rope to a car in a parking lot off of Elm Street. At about 12:20 p.m. on July 9, a New Canaan woman who had nearly struck the animal with her own car on entering the lot phoned police to report the illegal tethering. Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt said that on arriving at the scene, a local business, she noted that it was raining out (though warm) and that two cats were stretched comfortably inside the Mini Cooper to which the dog was tethered. The dog, a female Welsh terrier, had been tied with a length of rope to the rear driver’s side door of the car, Kleinschmitt said. The town resident who had first noticed it while reporting the tethering shortened the length of the rope to make it less dangerous for the animal.

Animal 411

Meet Allyson Halm: New Canaan’s New Animal Control Officer

By |

New Canaan Animal Control recently brought on a new officer, Allyson Halm. Born and raised in Greenwich, Halm is familiar with the Fairfield County and New Canaan area. Before joining the staff in New Canaan, Halm worked with Greenwich Animal Control for 12 years, then became the CEO of Adopt-A-Dog of Greenwich for seven years. Halm is excited to take on the position at New Canaan’s Animal Control. Here’s our exchange.