Dog owners beware! Sickening baiting attacks leave eight pets dead

At least eight dogs have died and many others have become ill after a series of baiting attacks in popular dog parks across Brisbane. Animal group The Rescue Collective confirmed that a number of dog owners had been in contact with the organisation in regard to their pets being poisoned and that as many as 12 dogs in addition to the eight that died are believed to have been affected by the baiting.

A post shared on Facebook confirmed that the Newstead and New Farm dog parks in Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs had been targeted and that poison had been rolled in mince and pieces of meat off-cuts. The post read: “Some dogs were believed to ingest the meat around the dog park and not actually in it. We encourage everyone to be vigilant no matter where they take their animals as those responsible could strike again.”

The first poisoning was confirmed last Thursday afternoon, but further poisonings have been reported over the weekend.

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One of the first dogs confirmed to have been killed in the baiting was Kiody, with the popular Dogs of New Farm Instagram page confirming the beloved pooch had died after eating poison in the New Farm and Newstead area.

“Something she ate off the ground had [been] poisoned by an unknown toxin and she had passed within 24 hours of becoming sick,” the page said. “Kiody’s humans did everything they could to save her life and no expense was spared. Unfortunately, nothing further could be done for her.”

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A further post shared a photo of what is believed to be the poisoned meat, with the page explaining that several people had seen meat scattered across the popular parks and the local areas. It read: “Please everyone in the area stay vigilant and make sure your dogs aren’t eating anything off the ground. If you usually allow your dog to walk off leash, it may be safer to keep them on lead for the time being.

“We sincerely hope this stops soon, as we love all the dogs in New Farm and we love to see them out and about in a happy, safe environment. If we hear anything further, we will be sure to let you all know.”

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Meanwhile, the Fortitude Valley Vet said that owners should pay careful attention to their dogs and take them straight to a vet if they notice their pet becoming lethargic or experiencing weakness, if the dog has tremors, if it experiences excess salivation or is slobbering more than usual or if the dog collapses or has seizures.

“Please be vigilant,” they warned. “We love our furry community so let’s look out for each other’s dogs as well. If you see something, please speak to the dog’s owner – your kindness may just save a life.”

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As scary as the attacks are, locals are still encouraging to take their dogs out, but to be careful, with the Dogs of New Farm page telling the community: “Simply make sure you keep them on a short lead and don’t let them nose around in bushes. We would hate to miss out on seeing our gorgeous little friends out for walks almost as much as they’d hate to miss out on the walk itself.”

The page added: “We’ve been told that measures are being taken to prevent further deaths such as organised sweeps and the police are currently investigating. Once again, our hearts go out to the people who’ve lost their pets this week due to someone else’s selfish and heartless actions. Hurting animals is one of the lowest acts a person can do.”

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The Living Room’s Chris Brown also warned that baits are designed to be appealing and people use fresh meat along with poisons for a more pleasant taste and that owners need to teach their pets not to eat them. He said that in addition to keeping dogs on leashes in impacted areas, dogs should be taught not to scavenge for snacks in public parks and should be taught to drop things on command.

“If you’re worried your dog has swallowed something suspicious, speak to your vet,” he said. “One injection can help them bring up the bait quickly before it takes effect.”

Do you take your dog to any of these parks? What needs to be done to stop these types of poisonings from happening?