An animal rescue organization that faced recent scrutiny in Danbury is now under-investigation by police in Wolcott after someone claimed their new puppy died just hours after it was adopted from “Tails of Courage.”
An animal rescue organization that faced recent scrutiny in Danbury is now under-investigation by police in Wolcott after someone claimed their new puppy died just hours after it was adopted from “Tails of Courage.”
As of Tuesday evening, six puppies are fighting to live and two are dead, according to Wolcott Animal Control Officer Roslyn Nenninger.
She believes the litter-mates were shipped from Texas to “Tails of Courage” in Wolcott and at some point became sick with parvo.
State and local officials became suspicious of “Tails of Courage” after they got a call from an adopter last week. “We were told that she had the puppy for seven hours, had to rush the puppy to Cheshire VCA doing CPR on the puppy the entire route, only for the puppy to expire.”
Police say preliminary testing points to parvo, dehydration and emaciation.
Friday, state and local animal control officers checked in on the “Tails of Courage” facility in Wolcott.
Police didn’t see anything off-putting until, “And when they were going over paperwork and such is when Assistant Animal Control Officer (Dana) Natrillo heard a puppy screaming and went to research where the puppy was and found a back room that they consider their isolation room, as well as their food room, and that’s where they found the sick puppies,” said Officer Nenninger.
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We’re told this was not proper isolation and care for a really contagious virus.
Police believe one puppy died in the care of “Tails of Courage.”
Two were rushed to a vet, but the officers say the nonprofit wouldn’t sign over another sick pup.
Adopted sick litter-mates continue to be discovered and cared for at other vets around the state.
“Parvo can kill a lot of puppies. When it is vomiting and diarrhea, they need care,” said Dr. Steven Price, co-owner of Watertown Animal Hospital.
He is currently treating three of the sick puppies in Watertown, quarantine video you’ll see only on NBC Connecticut, “These dogs from what I hear were just being given subcutaneous fluid which in my opinion is pretty inadequate care, substandard care.”
We've reached out to “Tails of Courage,” but a manager says they have no statement at this time.
Wolcott Animal Control Officer tells me there have been red flags when the animal rescue organization moved to town. The land owner of the property says “Tails of Courage” set up shop about two months ago. He says they told him they will be leaving his property by the end of the week.
Danbury filed a lawsuit for health and zoning violations in 2018. It was withdrawn this spring when they promised to no longer conduct business in Danbury.
The investigation into the Wolcott case continues.
