A Facebook post published by Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control stated that when officials arrived at the shelter on Tuesday, they were met with a mess of firework debris. Unfortunately, it’s not the only case of animal cruelty as of late.
Robert Yuchniuk, an officer with the Waterford East Lyme Animal Control told Newsweek in an email that the dogs have exterior and interior kennels that open to the outside in the area that the fireworks were landing.
“Some of the exploded debris was located inside the kennels themselves which would mean they were either fired directly at or exploded directly outside the kennels themselves,” he said.
“I can only imagine how frightened the [12] dogs in the kennel last night were,” read the Facebook post.
Dogs & Fireworks
The Kennel Club reported that fireworks can be frightening to dogs due to the loud noises, flashing lights and the scent of the explosives.
“With multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays, dogs will rarely be able to pinpoint where the booming explosions are coming from,” the organization said. “Not knowing what an explosion is, where it’s coming from or where and when the next one is going to be must be truly terrifying for some dogs.”
It also noted that dogs should not be present for a fireworks display. Some telltale signs that dogs are stressed include yawning and panting.
‘It Looks Like a War Zone’
The Facebook post opened by explaining what officials found when they first got to the shelter.
“This morning we arrived at the New London Animal Shelter in Bates Woods Park, and it looks like a war zone with all the expended firework debris in our parking lot,” the post said.
It continued and said there was a spot of grass that was on fire and burned overnight.
“This is a miserable place for the animals on the best days, last night must have been unbearable,” the post said. “The New London Police responded to the park several times last night but did not locate the culprits.”
None of the dogs were physically injured, Yuchniuk told Newsweek.
“The dogs were not acting abnormally the next morning, but the problems had been over for hours by then,” Yuchniuk said.
There currently are no cameras on the property, but Yuchniuk said he is hopeful the incident will serve as a push toward getting a camera system installed.
The Facebook post closed by urging those responsible for the incident to turn themselves in to the police, noting they can face animal cruelty charges.
This is not the first investigation into allegations of animal cruelty.
Authorities in DeKalb County, Georgia, sought information regarding an individual who reportedly set a dog on fire.
A veterinarian based in New York was arrested for allegedly abusing animals and falsifying vaccination records.
One video captured the moment that an individual picked up a dog and slammed it into the ground before kicking it in Washington.
