City Police: Beware of sickly wildlife
NORWICH – An unusually large amount of sick wildlife has been making the rounds within city limits over the past four months and authorities are cautioning people to be aware of the situation and to keep a close eye on their pets.
According to Police Chief Joseph Angelino, police have responded to more than 20 calls involving skunks or other wildlife acting in a sickly manner since October, in all areas of the city.
Residents should be especially watchful of their pets, said Angelino, and the first line of defense is making sure pets are up to date on their vaccinations. Even so – while vaccination can help prevent sickness – police reported some sick animals are aggressive and could cause bite injuries to unsupervised pets.
Locally, there are three government agencies involved in the matter, including law enforcement, said Angelino. The city’s Code Enforcement Agency continues to remind residents to keep their garbage cans covered at all times, while the county’s Public Health Department has been doing its best to educate the public on the dangers of sick wildlife.
All animals, added the chief, are being safely dispatched by police officers using a small caliber handgun.
“Public health officials have been great ... they have been responding with officers to many of these calls,” said Angelino, who added the animals are then turned over to the county for testing. “In most cases, the test results have shown the animals were either infected with distemper and, in a couple of cases, they were rabid.”
The fear, said the chief, is that an unsupervised pet will come in contact with a sick animal, return home, and interact with family members or other pets. Skunks represent a large percentage of the animals dispatched by police, although raccoons, woodchucks and an opossum have also been found.
Skunks – typically dormant in the winter – may be more active this year due to warmer weather and a lack of snow, reported Angelino.
Residents should never approach an unknown animal – even a domestic dog or cat – and if wildlife is observed in a public area acting in a strange or sickly manner, the police should be contacted immediately at 334-1212.
According to Police Chief Joseph Angelino, police have responded to more than 20 calls involving skunks or other wildlife acting in a sickly manner since October, in all areas of the city.
Residents should be especially watchful of their pets, said Angelino, and the first line of defense is making sure pets are up to date on their vaccinations. Even so – while vaccination can help prevent sickness – police reported some sick animals are aggressive and could cause bite injuries to unsupervised pets.
Locally, there are three government agencies involved in the matter, including law enforcement, said Angelino. The city’s Code Enforcement Agency continues to remind residents to keep their garbage cans covered at all times, while the county’s Public Health Department has been doing its best to educate the public on the dangers of sick wildlife.
All animals, added the chief, are being safely dispatched by police officers using a small caliber handgun.
“Public health officials have been great ... they have been responding with officers to many of these calls,” said Angelino, who added the animals are then turned over to the county for testing. “In most cases, the test results have shown the animals were either infected with distemper and, in a couple of cases, they were rabid.”
The fear, said the chief, is that an unsupervised pet will come in contact with a sick animal, return home, and interact with family members or other pets. Skunks represent a large percentage of the animals dispatched by police, although raccoons, woodchucks and an opossum have also been found.
Skunks – typically dormant in the winter – may be more active this year due to warmer weather and a lack of snow, reported Angelino.
Residents should never approach an unknown animal – even a domestic dog or cat – and if wildlife is observed in a public area acting in a strange or sickly manner, the police should be contacted immediately at 334-1212.
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