Wednesday, October. 23, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. — Town officials have reopened Schenck’s Island after confirming that earlier this morning Wilton Animal Control Officer Chris Muir had located a coyote displaying “multiple symptoms consistent with rabies” on the property and euthanized the animal.
Schenck’s Island had been closed on Tuesday after Wilton Police received multiple reports of encounters with a coyote “behaving abnormally” on the property over the course of several days.
What Muir saw that convinced him was a coyote that was disoriented and lethargic, and its hind legs were wobbling. It also lacked a fear of humans.
Muir euthanized and removed the animal from Schenck’s Island.
There won’t be a test performed to confirm whether rabies was present for sure. “The State of Connecticut will only test for the rabies virus if the animal bit a human being. Since there are no reports of a bite, it will not be tested,” Muir told GOOD Morning Wilton in an email.
But residents do not need to be concerned about returning to the park, with or without their pets, according to Muir.
“The rabies virus dies shortly after its host dies. Since the animal has been removed, future spread is not possible,” he said.
Muir doesn’t just talk the talk, he’d walk the walk. “I would bring my own Dachshund to Shenck’s Island without hesitation and feel comfortable in doing so,” he added.
Original Story, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, 3 a.m. — Schenck’s Island Closed as Wilton Animal Control Investigates Reports of Sick Coyote
Following reports of a sick coyote at Schenck’s Island over the last few days, Wilton officials have announced the temporary closure of the park.
Wilton’s Animal Control Officer Chris Muir said that as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 22), he saw no signs of the animal after spending several hours at the park.
Muir said he is focusing on the south end of Schenck’s Island after talking to two residents who say they spotted the coyote.
While Muir said seeing a coyote during the day isn’t necessarily cause for concern — they will come out into the sun to warm themselves — he could not comment on whether this particular coyote is sick.
“I can’t make a determination of its health until I see the thing,” Muir said, adding he will keep up his investigation and take a few more days to monitor the situation before the town will open up the park again.
Wilton Police said they received four reports of what was reported to be a sick coyote, deciding to close the location to the public while the investigation continues.
According to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT-DEEP), coyotes can be bold around people but the risk of a person being attacked is low.
This risk can increase if people feed coyotes or walk with an unleashed dog, according to CT-DEEP, near a coyote den or around coyote pups.
Some tips when encountering a coyote:
- Keep dogs and cats inside or on a leash.
- Do not feed coyotes and keep trash containers secured and food like seeds and fruit cleaned up.
- If approached by a coyote while walking a dog, keep the dog calm and walk away without turning your back.
- Report any unusual activity by a coyote to authorities, including any signs of illness. A coyote with rabies may stagger, experience seizures or lethargy.
Visit the CT-DEEP website for a full list of tips. For more information, contact the CT-DEEP Wildlife Division at 860.424.301.