Crime & Safety

Stamford Hamsters Hospitalized After Hostilities

Three hamsters are found with injured limbs, a skunk in the area tests positive for rabies and raccoons get into the garbage.

Two hamster cages were recovered left behind Pellicci's Ristorante on Stillwater Ave. with three hamsters between the two cages, according to Stamford Animal Care & Control Director Laurie Hollywood.

The hamsters were of the Teddy Bear variety, meaning they are larger and cuddlier. They're also not very friendly towards each other and are not supposed to be kept in cages together.

One cage had a single hamster in it with a broken back leg, and the other had two hamsters in it, one with a single broken back leg, the other with both back legs broken.

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The hamsters were taken to the South Wilton Veterinary Group, which specializes in exotic pets and put on antibiotics and painkillers. Hollywood said she couldn't be sure if the hamsters were hurt fighting or through some other form of neglect.

They will be up for adoption once they're all healed up.

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A skunk tested positive for rabies on Dann Drive this past week, according to Hollywood.

A property owner on the street who has two dogs found one with the animal in its mouth, Hollywood said. It was unclear if the dog had killed the skunk or simply found it postmortem. 

The dog was luckily up on its rabies shots, so it simply needed boosters. Protocol is to keep the dog isolated for 45 days to monitor for rabies symptoms.

Residents in the area are urged to keep a careful eye on domestic pets to make sure they aren't co-mingling with unknown wild animals.

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From the "Public Service Announcement" department, Hollywood said the center has been receiving numerous calls of raccoons stuck in dumpsters lately.

Hollywood said placing a knotted sheet, board or plank hanging or leaning out of the dumpster and then leaving will give the raccoons a way to escape.

She said they won't exit right away because they'll be scared of human presence, but will exit later when they feel safe, so it's recommended to leave the device there for a few hours and go do something else.

Hollywood also said using ammonia to clean the inside of outdoor trashcans will deter the animals from returning as they do not like the smell.

Removing raccoons from dumpsters is not a task the animal control office is required to do. Hollywood said their are private companies in the phone book, located in the immediate area, who will come remove wildlife if there is no other option.


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