posted 02-03-2004 04:05 PM         

Just a few blocks from where I live there is this large park. One part of it is for dogs and you are legally allowed to allow them of their leash.

Sometime over the weekened someone put poison in the park. (The police haven't determined how yet). The park has been closed and police are on site 24hrs a day. So far one Cocker Spaniel has died and 15 other dogs are seriously ill.

The police have been all over this since yesterday. New today they fear that 2 children may have contracted this poison as well.

posted 02-03-2004 04:22 PM         

I found this article:

Feb. 3, 2004. 05:10 PM

COLIN MCCONNELL/TORONTO STAR
Sax, a 4-year-old mixed breed, recuperates at home yesterday.

Dogs poisoned, owner says
Head of dog association believes poisoned hot dogs placed in park

CURTIS RUSH
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM

Is there a dog killer on the loose in Toronto?
Police say they are still awaiting lab results from samples of food and snow taken from Withrow Park in the city's east end, but the head of the local dog owners' association believes poison was placed inside hot dogs in the park.

Six dogs that had been in the park became seriously ill on the weekend and one dog died yesterday.

In addition, two children from separate families who played in the park (at the ice rink and the toboggan hill) on the weekend became sick and parents reported this to police. However, Detective Sydney Thomas said today that the children may only have had the flu.

"Neither one of them had to go to the hospital," he said, adding the families were dealing with the illnesses through their family doctors.

"I don't want to start a panic about this," the detective said.

The two children, both about 6 years old, showed symptoms similar to those of the sick dogs. An hour or so after visiting the park, they began vomiting and became very tired and lethargic. "That lasted approximately three to four hours," the detective said.

"One became ill on Saturday and one became ill on Sunday."

As well, 10 to 15 other dogs reportedly became sick after visiting the park on the weekend.

Thomas wouldn't speculate on the cause of the illnesses today. All he would say is that the dogs all came into contact with a "foreign substance."

"It is a concern to the community," he said. "Public safety is our biggest concern."

The park remains closed.

Thomas told a news conference this afternoon that there is a "remote possibility it is a deliberate act."

"The idea that somebody could have done something like this deliberately reinforces a real need to inform and educate people about cruelty to animals," said Marilyn Churley, MPP for Toronto-Danforth.

She called the situation "a distressing and frightening ordeal for members of the community."

The five dogs that became seriously ill are expected to recover.

A woman who runs a dog owners' group in Withrow Park is convinced there is a dog killer out there.

Casey Conklin, who heads the Withrow Park Dog Owners' Association, said today that she believes there were hot dogs laced with poison in the park.

"I think clearly we're dealing with an individual," Conklin said. "Clearly this is not the act of a rational person."

Conklin said a dog owner told her she saw her pet eat something in the park. The woman, who happens to be a nurse, reported that a half-hour later, the dog threw up.

Another member of the association went over to the house, bagged a sample of the vomit and passed it on to the authorities. That member, reports Conklin, said: 'Casey, this is a hot dog and it looks like it's been hollowed out and there's this dark blue granular stuff in it.'"

The dog owners fear the person may strike again, though Conklin said no member of her association has reported receiving any threatening notes or phone calls about dogs running amok in the off-leash area.

The incidents have forced the closing of the park until police know what's causing the illnesses.

The investigation involves the police, the parks department and health and environment ministries.

Samples have been sent to a lab in Guelph and police say they don't expect results for another few days.

Police said the illnesses, from vomiting to seizures in the dogs, could have been brought about by something ingested or "absorbed through the skin."

The mystery has forced Holy Name Catholic Elementary School to take precautions. The school has used the park for physical education classes, with children skating and playing snow soccer.

But since the park was sealed off by police, all gym classes are being held inside until lab results are back.

Don Boyle of the Parks Department said city staff are examining all dog parks throughout the city for unusual foodstuffs. He called it "precautionary."

"We want to ensure our parks are safe," he said. "It's extremely disappointing for us to have this type of incident take place in this park."

He admitted that people have in the past complained about dogs in the leash-free areas of the city's parks, but that in all cases "we have reached a consensus with the community" to protect the interests of those who don't own dogs.

posted 02-05-2004 03:15 PM         

The poison that was laced in food is called Carbamate. This is a highly toxic insecticide. Based on the concentration a liscensed would have been needed to purchase it.

The poison can be fatal for both humans and animals. Right now 1 dog has died and 17 are ill.

If charged with purposely targetting animals the person can only face one year in prison. If they are charged with targeting people it can be 14yrs in prison.

I hope they catch this person, soon before they kill any other animals.

posted 02-05-2004 04:06 PM         

I am also from the GTA. I have heard all about this on the news. 'I hope they catch whomever did this.

Sincerely,

posted 02-12-2004 04:21 PM         

With the park still taped off somebody was walking their dog off leash. Just inside the taped of area his dog picked up a hotdog he managed to stop the dog before it ate it. It had blue crystals inside of it.

It is a form of pesticed that was banned in Canada in Crystalized form. It was banned after it killed thousands of birds. One granule can kill a large animal.

People are upset that they have not used the Canine unit. With good reason they claim that they don't want to put their dogs at risk.

However I thought police dogs were trained to find things withouth eating them. So if the poisined stuffed is under the snow couldn't they stop the dog as soon as it started to dig?