Crime & Safety

Police: Heads of Cat, Bird Found Cut Off & Left at New Canaan Homes

New Canaan police are asking for the public's help in tracking down information on two disturbing and potentially connected animal cruelty incidents that occurred in town recently in which the heads of two animals were cut off and left at two separate residences. 

According to Sgt. Carol Ogrinc, on October 14 at approximately 9:55 a.m., a resident on Laurel Road reported finding the severed head of a cat resting just by the end of the common driveway near the street at roughly 6:50 a.m. that morning. 

Ogrinc said the initial hypothesis was that perhaps another animal had caught and consumed the feline, but further inspection of the remnants showed the head had been "intentionally severed."

The complainant said the head had definitely not been there at 6 p.m. the day prior. The only information available on the cat was that it was black, though Ogrinc said a 64-year-old Laurel Road woman reported her black cat missing on October 15. Ogrinc said police believe the missing cat is the same one that was mutilated. 

On October 18, at approximately 6:16 p.m., a 47-year-old Autumn Lane woman reported finding the severed head of a bird on her patio the day prior. She had thought nothing of it, also assuming perhaps a wild animal had eaten the rest of the bird, until she heard about the incident with the cat, Ogrinc said.

When authorities inspected the remnants, it again appeared to be an intentional act of removing the bird's head with a "clean cut," Ogrinc said. 

"It's sad. This cat was someone's pet," Ogrinc said, adding, "We're reaching out to anyone in the community with any information to contact us or call our anonymous tip line.All calls are anonymous, there is no caller ID on the anonymous tip line number. We'd be grateful for any information. Even the smallest leads will be followed up on. People out there have information, they just have to do the right thing and point us in the right direction."

The New Canaan Anonymous Tip Line can be reached at 203.594.3544.


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