Castlegar RCMP aren’t any closer to solving a case of apparent dog poisoning in Pass Creek from nearly two months ago, and residents are concerned their pets may still be in danger.
One woman in the area, who asked that her name not be published, said another dog became sick recently and she and her neighbours are concerned it was a case of deliberate poisoning.
“We found a pile of cat food or dog food in the meadow that looked too conveniently placed,” she said.
The dog couldn’t hold any food or water down and refused to even try to eat or drink, she added.
In March, police said they suspected up to three dogs in the Pass Creek area had been poisoned. Their symptoms included wobbly legs and a low heart rate, RCMP Sgt. Laurel Mathew said at the time.
One of the dogs ended up dying, likely in conjunction with old age.
Now that the weather is warming up, residents are also concerned about people carelessly leaving pest poison outside that dogs and cats could consume.
Jennifer Hart of the Arrow Lakes Veterinary Clinic said rat and slug poison tastes sweet to the animals but they usually can’t smell it unless their noses are right up against it.
If it’s consumed, blood tests can detect the poison and it can be treated, depending on how much an animals has eaten and how much time has passed, Hart added.