A frightened dog was found hiding behind a bush after being thrown over a 6-foot fence at New London’s municipal animal shelter. An animal control officer coaxed the dog into the open, and Police Chief Brian Wright said the animal was safe and receiving care.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:49 a.m. on a Monday at the shelter on Chester Street. The calendar date was not provided in Wright’s announcement.
The shelter’s security system recorded a man lifting the dog over the perimeter fence before leaving the area. Police released an image of the person they wanted to identify, along with a photograph of the dog.
The animal remained somewhere inside the fenced grounds until it was discovered behind the bush. Wright described the dog as frightened, and the responding officer used a patient approach to bring it out of hiding.
Shelter personnel evaluated the dog and placed it in the facility’s care. Authorities did not disclose the evaluation findings or identify the dog’s name, breed, age or sex.
Police seek the man and the dog’s owner
Investigators wanted to speak with the man to determine what led to the abandonment. They were also seeking information about the dog’s owner and any activity around the Chester Street facility during the overnight hours.
No one had been publicly identified, arrested or charged when the investigation was announced. The dog’s ownership history and the circumstances that brought it to the shelter remained unresolved.
“Abandoning an animal in this manner may constitute a violation of Connecticut’s animal cruelty and abandonment statutes,” Wright said.
A Connecticut animal-protection overview identifies abandonment or carrying an animal cruelly among conduct covered by the state’s cruelty laws. It also directs people who suspect animal cruelty to their local animal control department, which can investigate complaints and work with police.
That legal background does not establish whether a violation occurred in this case. Police were still trying to identify and interview the person recorded at the shelter, and no potential penalties were specified in the available case information.
Safer surrender options were available
Shelter officials said animals can be surrendered to New London Animal Control during business hours. Emergency arrangements can also be made by phone, according to a local account of the investigation and shelter guidance.
New London Animal Control operates within the Police Department’s Investigative Services Division. Its two full-time assistant animal control officers handle duties that include roaming-dog capture and impoundment, animal cruelty investigations, bite cases, nuisance complaints and rabies control, according to the city’s official Animal Control page.
Anyone who recognizes the man or dog, knows the animal’s owner or witnessed relevant activity near the shelter was asked to contact New London Animal Control at 860-447-5231. Authorities had not announced whether the dog would remain in care, be reclaimed or eventually become available for adoption.
The immediate outcome was clear: The dog survived the overnight abandonment, was recovered from its hiding place and was reported safe. Questions about who left it there and why remained part of the continuing investigation.
What would you do if your dog were in this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments.
By Sarah Mitchell — 8 years as a local-news reporter covering animal welfare, shelters, neighborhood disputes, and public-safety pet stories.
