EnCon Police Moderator
Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 3899
Originally Posted By: ssnfreebee
Captain Camejo, I have no idea who started it but I can tell you it is not too easy for an animal of that size to get into my yard unless is after something. My dogs have full run of 2 acres and the past three other cases the animal in question was smaller and did go after my dogs with no fear. In those cases I witnessed the whole thing but this time it is second hand after it started. So without seeing the whole sitution myself I can't fully say who was chasing who. My dogs are not in the habit of backing down from something that comes after them or if they are protecting us unless someone tells them to. According to my brother it was foaming at the mouth and I did tell each person in my phone calls that description and I still got nothing. I agree that calls made in the middle of the night for bats in the house or something under the porch are rediculious. A call for something that happened in the middle of the day like this, I would think that someone would give more importance to. If the statute for dealing with animals is as you describe than why would ACO & DEP WILDLIFE point the finger at each other and still not help me. I have no idea how the local PD would deal with this or how they would like me discharging a firearm near houses but I guess I will just call them next time to see. Since I live next to some wooded areas I know that this won't be the last time. Is there a local contact for New London County EnCon or should I go thru the same freaking calls again? Glenn
Glenn, I didn't make up the statute, I copied and pasted it so what you see above is state law. The statute puts the responsibility of rabies control on the Dept of Agriculture/ACOs, we don't put that responsibility on them.
With the number of raccoons, skunks, bats, etc. that are in the state it's physically impossible for us to respond to all the calls regarding them. That's why we defer to the local ACO/PD/Health Dept. If you call our dispatch center they have the policy that I listed in my earlier post and that's the protocol that they follow for sending out an officer. Even if we still responded to every call, you would probably be looking at an extended wait before an officer could get to your location. The local PD/ACO can be there in a matter of minutes. I wish we had a sufficient number of officers to handle all these calls, but we don't.
If you have an ongoing problem with raccoons in your yard you can contact a NWCO who can trap and remove them. In all honesty, unless a raccoon (or other wild animal) is presenting a direct threat to public/human safety, we would not routinely send one of our officers. If you called our dispatch center and reported your dogs fighing with or corning a raccoon the response you would get from them is that we would not send out an officer and that you should contact your ACO/PD. If you made direct contact with our Wildlife Division they would tell you the same thing that I am...our policy is their policy.
The ACO/local PD can assist by putting down the raccoon. Most PDs in the state (with one or two exceptions) do this routinely. I hear the State Police on the radio sending Troopers all the time to put down raccoons and skunks. (They usually have more Troopers working in one troop area on a shift than we do statewide, so they have the extra people to handle these calls.) Once the animal is dead the local Health Dept can make the arrangements for testing with a caveat...they may not do it if there was no human contact. If that's the case your vet may help out.
I know it's not the answer you want, but that's how we are operating right now. If you would like to talk to our officer who handles your area give our dispatch center a call at 860-424-3333 and ask that they have the officer call you regarding an ongoing wildlife problem. That doesn't mean the officer is going to do anything more for you, but they may have some suggestions or advice to cut down on the raccoons getting into your yard.
I have a couple of rabies questions. Who is responsible for coming to your house to kill & pick up an animal that was caught by my dogs and could possibly have rabies? Who is responsible for taking the suspected rabies animal to have it tested for conformation?
glenn
As posted by Enconn your local Animal Control Officer (ACO) is required by statute to handle any rabies exposure call. They are required to ensure that your pets are quarantined if they have been exposed so that is why they are required to. If you want to complain, the State ACO would look in to the problem with your local ACO. The Number is 860-713-2506. Just ask for the head ACO, but a written compliant will get better results. Here is the State ACO's website and it specifically states that they are required to handle rabies cases. http://www.ct.gov/doag/cwp/view.asp?a=1367&q=259098
The problem with the local ACO's is that the municipalities are now hiring ACO's that have a personal agenda to "save" animals versus serving public interests. Most of them have never killed an animal and never want to, and when confronted with having to do something of that nature they just do not have what it takes.
As far as the 500' law on discharge that is only for hunting purposes, if you want to shoot an animal in a trap there is no law that saws you cannot shoot it if it is closer than 500' to a building.
ssnfreebee
Member
Registered: 02/19/05
Posts: 96
Loc: Uncasville
Captain Camejo, I do thank you for your time and information. I know that I did get alittle argumentive but you have to see that it gets frustrating when the people you would think would help just sit on thier hands and do nothing but say "It is not my job". It is just like I said when I called everyone the finger keep going to the other in lieu of just telling me my options. I will keep a copy of the statute for the next time this comes up. All I wanted to know is who am I really to call and you answered that. Just one thing about the ACO getting to your house in minutes, all I kept getting when I called was the answering maching. It just seemed to me that they were screening the calls but who knows. Once again THANKS for the help and please keep up the great work that you guys do. Glenn
tomashton
Member
Registered: 07/20/02
Posts: 1584
Loc: Plainville
Originally Posted By: ssnfreebee
Just one thing about the ACO getting to your house in minutes, all I kept getting when I called was the answering maching. It just seemed to me that they were screening the calls but who knows. -----
ssnfreebee, I know in Bristol, if you call the animal control officer and they dont answer and it is an emergency to call the Bristol Police.
It actually says this in the phone book and it also states this on their website, You might want to check with your local Police department to see what their policy is.
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