Animal 411

Police Field Complaints of Neighbor’s Cats Soiling Private Properties in Holly Road Area

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Several residents in the area of Old Norwalk and Holly Roads are complaining to police about a neighbor’s cats urinating and defecating on their properties, officials say. Most recently, at about 7:25 p.m. on Sept. 22, a man told authorities that he found feline feces on his porch, according to a police report. Complaints have been coming in for a few years since a resident of Old Norwalk Road near the entrance to Kiwanis Park began feeding stray cats, according to Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt, who retires Wednesday. “This individual feeds these cats—and thank goodness, because [otherwise] they would get sick and create a problem,” Kleinschmitt said.

Animal 411

Barking Dog Complaint on Smith Ridge Road; Newfie Bite on Amy’s Lane

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Police say they’re investigating a barking dog complaint on Smith Ridge Road. A neighbor in the area opposite the golf course of the Country Club of New Canaan at 12:08 p.m. on Sept. 17 lodged a complaint about a Labrador retriever that barks steadily in the evenings, according to the Animal Control unit of the New Canaan Police Department. “These are the toughest complaints to deal with and we need good strong documentation,” Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt told NewCanaanite.com. Specifically, complainants are asked by police to note exact dog-barking behavior over several days.

Animal 411

Animal Control: Fox Seen Trying To Drink Beer on Laurel Road Likely Was Rabid

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Police say a fox attempting to drink beer in the middle of Laurel Road and behaving aggressively toward dogs walking in eastern New Canaan last weekend likely was a sick animal that has since died or moved on from this area. The animal was sighted five times between Friday and Saturday mornings, (in order) on Valley Road, Cedar Lane, Fable Farm Road, Pastures Lane and Laurel, according to Animal Officer Allyson Halm of the New Canaan Police Department. In the last reported sighting, the animal was seen eating a torn-open beer can in the middle of the street, according to a police report. “The reason that raises a red flag is because with rabies, one of the side effects is that you are very thirsty but cannot drink,” Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt said. Police began receiving calls from residents about an overly curious fox approaching people walking their dogs—a Labrador retriever, then two Labs together, a golden retriever and finally a Labradoodle.

Animal 411

Six Stitches for New Canaan Girl, 5, after Puppy Jumps Up on Her at Waveny

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A 5-year-old New Canaan girl required six stitches in the area of her mouth and chin after a Bernese mountain dog puppy jumped up on her at Waveny, officials say. According to a police report, the girl was at the park to watch a soccer game and had been been playing with the 11-month-old puppy when the animal jumped up, scratching her and opening up at least one cut near her mouth with its teeth. The incident was reported to police at 1:59 p.m. on Sunday. The girl had chocolate on her mouth and, according to the report, the child put her face close to the dog to get licked and then the puppy jumped. “It’s all puppy stuff,” Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt said.

Animal 411

Infected Dog Bite Sends Town Woman To Hospital

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A Silvermine Road woman went to Urgent Care at Norwalk Hospital this month after a dog bite she’d sustained earlier became infected, officials say. According to police, it was the woman’s own Norfolk terrier, an older dog, who’d bitten her during an Aug. 24 party at her home. The woman picked up the dog to remove it from an area with a lot of people and it bit her, leaving two small puncture marks on her arm. The wound became infected and developed into a large bruised lump, and nearly two weeks later, on Sept.