Guilford Man, 74, Charged With Malicious Wounding, Killing Birds

GUILFORD, CT — A Guilford man has been charged by state environmental police with two felony counts of animal cruelty for “maliciously” wounding and killing birds, according to court records obtained by Patch.

David Dodge, 74, was charged in June for an August 2020 incident captured on camera phone video that shows him removing live birds from a trap he’s set on his property, and then plucking their feathers before tossing them into an area of his property.

In the criminal information filed in New Haven Superior Court, state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Environmental Conservation Police officer Megan Erickson notes that Dodge claimed he traps sparrows and starlings to prevent them from endangering bluebirds. He told Erickson that he was shown by a friend of his how to “dispatch” the birds — by "squeezing the heart."

Nuisance wildlife biologist for DEEP Chris Vann is quoted in the warrant application saying that while the trapping of "non-native invasive" sparrows and starlings is legal, “squeezing the heart to immediately euthanize the birds wouldn't be physically possible ...That they would be asphyxiated and it would take a minute or two for a bird to die from this.”

Dodge told the EnCon officer that he “traps sparrows in an attempt to decrease the amount of deaths of bluebirds,” and that he generally “kills them by snapping their necks.”

Dodge also told environmental police that he has installed his homemade birdhouses across Guilford, where he has permission, he said. Town officials told Patch there is no such arrangement and the town is not aware of any of his birdhouses on town property.

Dodge declined to speak to a reporter and referred all questions to his attorney, Charlene Lynton. Patch left telephone messages for Lynton for comment and should those messages be returned, this story will be updated.

In the eight-page arrest warrant application, it’s explained that in August of 2020, Dodge was seen on video handling, and plucking and then discarding, live birds. Dodge declined to provide a written statement to environmental police and when asked by EnCon police if the birds were alive when he plucked their feathers and threw them in his yard, he declined to answer, court records show.

Patch has made attempts to get a copy of the video referred to in official records. The arrest warrant criminal information notes the video will be available to the court.

Veterinarians, wildlife advocates weigh in

The state’s animal control officer Della Rocco showed the video to avian veterinarian Richard Alter of Pets Friend Animal Hospital, wildlife vet Sharon Siksay and Christine Cummings, president of a Place Called Hope wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation center. All are quoted at length in the criminal information documents.

Alter described that what he witnessed, Dodge, “pulling of a wild bird from sticky tape, and then the ripping of feathers off the bird before it was thrown aside” is an “inhumane” act.

“It is unclear in the video why these birds are being violated, but what is obvious is an inherently cruel action which resulted in physical harm, extreme stress and suffering along with no chance of survival when flung back into the environment,” Alter is quoted as saying. He noted that “ripping feathers off a bird causes immense suffering and a slow death.”

“The intentional suffering to birds caused by this individual is indisputable and offensive,” Alter is quoted as saying. “Even if not killed outright, these released birds will undergo prolonged suffering, starvation or predation. I hope I do hope the courts will address this animal cruelty case immediately.”

Cummings was quoted as saying after seeing the “disturbing video,” that Dodge is “trapping birds and causing intentional harm…”

And Siksay noted that what Dodge is seen doing in the video provided by the state animal control officer is “absolutely unacceptable.”

“Given the leisurely and agonizing debilitation enacted on these birds, and no likelihood of survival, this behavior is easily classified as abuse and should be addressed as such.”

If convicted, Dodge faces a maximum $5,000 fine and/or a maximum 5 years in prison

EnCon officer Erickson wrote in the arrest warrant application that after consulting with the state animal control officer and the three wildlife professionals, all of whom said the birds were alive when Dodge removed their feathers, she agreed: Dodge plucked the feathers of live birds and tossed them fluttering into his yard. That conclusion led her to “assert probable cause.”

On June 24, Dodge was arrested and charged with two counts of animal cruelty; malicious and intentional injury or killing, class D felonies.

He was released on a promise to appear in New Haven Superior Court on Aug. 3.

Should he be convicted, per state law, Dodge could face a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison.