SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — A woman was arrested last week after police said she allegedly left poisonous "treats" out for a neighbor's dog she claimed "barked too much."
Sandra Sullivan, 57, of Southington, was charged with Criminal Attempt to Commit Cruelty to Animals. She was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at New Britain Superior Court on February 10.
Police were called by a homeowner on Whitlock Avenue with a report of a suspicious person in December. The resident said he was alerted by their dog barking at someone in the yard. He told police he saw a blond woman, dressed in black, walking along his property line, on the other side of the fence.
The man said he recognized the woman as a house sitter staying at a neighboring home. He told police he saw the woman place a small round item on a tree stump in a neighbor’s yard. As he went inside his home, he saw a similar item was on his back stairs.
He told police it looked like a cream-filled chocolate-covered candy. However, after looking more closely, he noticed a strong and distinct odor coming from the item, like a urinal deodorizer block or a mothball. When he examined it, he told police he discovered a mothball hidden inside and became concerned the woman was attempting to feed the item to his dog.
Police interviewed the woman, identified as Sullivan, who initially denied knowledge, before letting the officers take a look around in the backyard, where they found an identical item on the tree stump, as the witness had said. The item was seized by police.
When questioned about the item, Sullivan admitted the item was a cream-filled chocolate-covered candy that she opened, then hid a mothball inside.
Sullivan told police that she was frustrated over the neighbor’s dog barking at all hours and decided to make a “treat” for the dog to see if he would “stop barking.” She said her intent was not to hurt the dog, she just wanted the dog to stop barking excessively.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, as little as one mothball can poison a dog. They also said chocolate can cause significant illnesses in canines.
Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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