Greenwich Man Charged After Cat Dies From Trap He Set: Police

GREENWICH, CT — A 58-year-old Greenwich man was issued multiple misdemeanor citations on June 9 after local and state authorities discovered that he had allegedly set a "body trap" illegally near Gerry Street that caught and killed a neighborhood cat, according to Greenwich police.

Thomas Bollinger, of Alexander Street, was issued summonses for the following alleged violations:

• Animal trapping without a license
• Illegally setting an animal trap
• Failure to have name on a trap
• Illegal trapping out of season

Greenwich police were notified over the weekend by a resident who said their cat had been injured in a trap, and the animal eventually died.

The department's Animal Control division investigated and determined that Bollinger allegedly set the trap. Greenwich authorities called in state environmental conservation police from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which recommended the charges.

Greenwich Police Lt. David Nemecek said that Bollinger allegedly told investigators that he had not targeted the cat, which was caught accidentally, but he was allegedly targeting groundhogs which had become a problem in the area.

"Traps are indiscriminate," said Nemecek. "They can catch anything. It doesn't look like the cat was targeted, but in situations like these, people should leave it to the professionals."

Bollinger was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 25.

Image via Shutterstock

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