Stranded Dolphin Found in Guilford Humanely Euthanized: Police

GUILFORD, CT - A stranded dolphin off of Chaffinch Island Park had to be humanely euthanized Tuesday afternoon, Guilford Police Animal Shelter officials said.

Both Guilford Animal Control staff and members of the Emergency Response Team from Mystic Aquarium did their best to rescue the dolphin but it was already too late.

A juvenile white-sided dolphin was stranded on the edge of the inlet bank and was spotted by a passerby.

The Emergency Response Team from Mystic Aquarium arrived and began rendering aid, officials said in a statement.

The dolphin's condition continued to worsen and the staff struggled to stabilize the vitals of the dolphin, police said.

"The mammal was suffering and ultimately, the Emergency Response Team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the dolphin," according to the statement. "While this is not the outcome we were all hoping for, the team will be able to study the dolphin and determine the reason for it's untimely death."

Janelle Schuh, who is with the Mystic Aquarium response team told the New Haven Register, that it was "very obvious that it was a calf, a young animal that should still be with mom.

“Mom’s not around, so it was apparent to us that it probably hadn’t been with mom for some time because of how thin it was," Schuh added according to the Register.

Prior to sedating and euthanizing the animal, blood samples were taken and will be tested at Mystic Aquarium., officials said

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, white-sided dolphins are found in waters of the North Atlantic from West Greenland to North Carolina typically. At one point in 2006, there were estimates of 63,368 white-sided dolphins.

Photo credit: Guilford Police Animal Shelter on Facebook