A Norway Rat Trapped in a Basement Does Some Damage

Rat Trap

A Norway rat, about the size of a cat, apparently wandered into an open garage door of a house on Gerardo Drive Tuesday and became trapped in the basement. Police said it went on to damage wood trim around doors and windows while trying to escape.

An officer responding to the call of an animal in a basement at around 9:30 p.m. found and euthanized the rat, according to the report.

Dog vs. Dog

A woman walking her dog on Countryside Drive Wednesday told police that a bull mastiff ran out from someone's yard and attacked her pet. Neither animal was injured, according to police.

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A male passerby broke up the scuffle and brought the dog back to its owner's property. Police issued the owner infractions for creating a nuisance and failure to license — fines totalling $150.

A Lost Dog

A Southbury woman reported finding a stray dog wearing a Monroe collar at 8:12 a.m. on Aug. 3. A computer search by Monroe Animal Control found that the owners had since moved out of town and their last known address was in Oxford.

No forwarding address nor updated contact numbers were found. Police suggested that the woman call animal controls in Southbury and Oxford.

Bat in a House

A Summer View Drive resident reported a bat in his bedroom at 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 4. An officer searched the interior of the home, but was unable to find the bat.

A referral was made to hire a nuisance wildlife control operator and a bat exclusion PSA was provided.

An officer rechecked with the property owner on the following Monday, but the animal still could not be found.

Raccoon in a Dumpster

An officer responding to a raccoon in a Dumpster complaint on Hidden Knolls Circle at 11:07 a.m. on Aug. 5 provided a ladder allowing the animal to escape, and the raccoon fled into the woods nearby.

This had happened there before, so the officer again recommended that the owner start "animal proofing" the trash containers, according to the report.

Fear of West Nile

A Settlers Farm Road woman concerned over the West Nile Virus called to report a dead bird in her yard at 1:25 p.m. on Aug. 5, but an officer could not find the carcass. The homeowner was unable to identify the bird.

A Large Snapping Turtle

A large snapping turtle was seen in a front yard on Maple Drive at 9:51 on Aug. 6. Police said there was no threat, adding its behavior was routine during a time when turtles come onto dry land to lay eggs. The animal was allowed to return to the waterway without any interference.

Beaver Damage

A beaver damage complaint was reported in the 500-block of Fan Hill Road on Aug. 6. A roadway culvert was blocked causing flooding in the street and there was a secondary dam downstream, police said.

The culvert is scheduled for cleanup within the week and was added to the list for exclusion device installation.

Suspected Animal Cruelty

Two incidents of suspected animal cruelty were reported on Aug. 7 when dogs were left in vehicles.

At 10:20 a.m., a dog was left inside a grey Lexus in the Stop & Shop parking lot at 470 Monroe Turnpike. But a witness told police that the driver was only in the store briefly — about 15 minutes — and the windows were down allowing airflow, so there was no issue.

Then at 2:03 p.m. a dog was left inside a Ford pickup truck in the Century Plaza parking lot at 535 Monroe Turnpike. A woman who complained was talking to a police communications operator when the owner exited the store.

There was no issue and no police action was required, according to the report.

Thank You

Monroe Animal Control expresses its gratitude to the Palmieri family of Shelton for their donation of wooden shipping pallets for an Eagle Scout project on July 27.

The animal shelter also thanks the Wilson family of Monroe for their donation of dog biscuits and treats.

Casualties

An injured raccoon was seen in the roadway on Elm Street at 9:01 p.m. on Aug. 5, but an officer who searched the area could not find it.

A sick or injured raccoon reported in a yard on Monroe Turnpike on Aug. 6 was euthanized and removed from the property. It was an adult female, weighing about 15 pounds.

A deer was struck by a vehicle on Lovers Lane at around 1:59 p.m. on Aug. 3. An officer searched the area, but could not find the animal, according to the report.

An adult raccoon was killed when it was struck by a vehicle on Fan Hill Road, according to a report on Aug. 6.

An Eastern Box Turtle had to be euthanized on Aug. 6 after it was struck by a vehicle on Heritage Road and its shell was crushed beyond repair.

A raccoon died when it was struck by a vehicle in the 400-block of Monroe Turnpike on Aug. 7.

A deer carcass was found in a yard on Wells Road at 6:52 Tuesday night. Police were unable to determine the cause of death, age or gender of the animal due to decomposition.

A sick raccoon in a yard on Main Street was euthanized Wednesday. It was an adult female.

A sickly looking fox was seen on a property on Wheeler Road Thursday. An officer was unable to find the animal and gave the property owner common cautions for foxes.