Devastated dog owners have issued an urgent warning after their pets fell ill after drinking from public water bowls laced with rat poison.
Sophie Watkins was walking her three dogs at the popular Hourglass Reserve, in Cooloongup in Perth’s south, last Saturday.
Two of her dogs drank water from a public water bowl before she discovered blue pellets of what appeared to be rat poison nearby.
Ms Watkins quickly rinsed the bowl to remove the toxic substance and reported the the blue pellets to council rangers.
She took her golden retrievers to the Baldivis Vet Hospital with vets discovering the poisonous substance after both dogs vomited.
‘It appears the rat bait didn’t dissolve in the water and a few pellets they ingested came back up when the emergency vet induced vomiting,’ she told Perth Now.
Ms Watkins said it could have been much worse if her pets consumed the pesticide.
‘We were extremely lucky and hope no other pups were worse off,’ she said.
Jess Cowie’s two Staffordshire Bull Terriers fell ill after drinking water from a public dog bowl at Rockingham Dog Beach (one of the dogs is pictured)
Two dogs fell ill after drinking water at Rockingham dog beach, in Perth’s southwest (pictured)
Just hours later, Jess Cowie’s two Staffordshire Bull Terriers fell ill after drinking water from a public dog bowl at Rockingham Dog Beach.
‘The vet says it’s most likely from traces of poison. He is doing ok, but still very sick and miserable,’ Ms Cowie told Perth Now.
City of Rockingham Council Mayor Deb Hamblin said no further incidents have been reported to rangers and that patrols would be increased in lieu of the incidents.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Mayor Hamblin and the council for comment.
Intentionally poisoning an animal in Western Australia attracts a fine of up to $50,000 or five years behind bars according to the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
