Housesitter tries feeding neighbor’s barking dog mothball-stuffed candy, CT cops say

When a neighbor’s dark wouldn’t stop barking, a housesitter took action into her own hands last month in Connecticut.

But those actions led to the arrest of the woman, who tried feeding the dog a chocolate candy with a mothball stuffed inside, according to police in Southington. The dog did not ingest the candy, police said, as the dog’s owner observed what he referred to as the “suspicious activity” before the dog got a hold of it.

Police said the dog owner saw the woman, identified as Sandra Sullivan, dressed in all black and walking along the fence line. The dog owner said he saw the woman place “a small round item on a tree stump in the neighbor’s yard” and that he noticed a similar item on his own stairs, police said.

When he examined the item, a cream-filled chocolate candy, he noticed it had a distinct odor that resembled a mothball, according to police. Police questioned Sullivan, and she told them she hid the mothball inside the chocolate candy pieces.

She said she did out of frustration, as the dog was “barking at all hours,” police said. She told police she did not intend to hurt the dog.

But mothballs can be toxic to dogs and could lead to kidney injury, according to AnimalPoisons.com. The chemicals can also affect their red blood cells, causing poor oxygen delivery, which can be life-threatening.

Chocolate can also be toxic to dogs, causing vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness and increased urination, according to the American Kennel Club. In more severe cases, it could cause seizures or death.

Sullivan turned herself into police Jan. 25 and was charged with criminal attempt to commit cruelty to animals, police said. She was released from jail on a $1,000 bond.

Southington is about 20 miles southwest of Hartford.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Housesitter tries feeding neighbor’s barking dog mothball-stuffed candy, CT cops say."