Warren dog quarantined six months after woodchuck deaths

Posted 7/31/15

Make sure your pets are vaccinated, animal lovers: The state Department of Health has ordered an unvaccinated German Shephard quarantined for six months after the animal killed at least one, and maybe two, woodchucks.

Neiko, a German Shepherd …

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Warren dog quarantined six months after woodchuck deaths

Posted

Make sure your pets are vaccinated, animal lovers: The state Department of Health has ordered an unvaccinated German Shephard quarantined for six months after the animal killed at least one, and maybe two, woodchucks.

Neiko, a German Shepherd owned by George Simmons of Brady Street, was not up to date on its rabies shots when Mr. Simmons called police last Tuesday, July 21, to report finding two dead woodchucks on his property.

According to Deputy Warren Police Chief Joseph Loiselle, Mr. Simmons called at 1:20 p.m. to report the death of one animal and was advised to properly dispose of it. A short time later, he called back to report “that the dog had killed a second woodchuck,” Deputy Chief Loiselle said.

When Mr. Simmons drew a connection between the dog and the dead animal, that set off a legal protocol that Deputy Chief Loiselle said police were bound to follow.

Whenever there is contact between a pet and a species considered by the state as a rabies “target,” police are required to contact both the Department of Health and state veterinarian. When the DOH was contacted, officials told police to bring the woodchucks’ heads to the state lab for testing. Tests on one head came back negative for rabies, but the other was too deteriorated to test accurately. In cases like that, Deputy Chief said, “they don’t know for a fact if it’s positive or negative, so they have to err on the side” of caution and act as if the animal had tested positive.

Neiko had previously been vaccinated but that vaccination had lapsed. In the case of contact between a pet and an animal found either positive or inconclusive, the state requires a six-month quarantine, either at a local animal shelter of animal hospital, for the pet.

“People don’t realize this isn’t the Warren Police Department,” he said. “The WPD is just following state law. We’re trying to be as accommodating as possible under the circumstances. But the law requires six months of quarantine.”

Mr. Simmons turned Neiko over on Tuesday. It is unclear if he is going to board the animal at the Warren Animal Shelter ($2 per day after the first day, which is $10) or elsewhere, at a private facility, for the duration of the quarantine period.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.