I agree with Carol and Randy, but I do understand why someone would blame owners for leaving their dogs outside unsupervior. Especially owners who provide very little shelter to their dogs that live outside. (Or they don't even care about their dogs)

I do not think it is fair to blame owners that their dogs got poisioned. No dogs deserved to be killed or posioned in any cruel manners. I never leave any dogs outside all day with no one to watch. Anyone can always toss stuffs in the yard and you might don't even know it is there. Should you take a blame for it if you found a dead dog in your yard? Anything can happen whether you have the power to stop it or not. Should you accuse someone that it is their job to inspect whatever is in the yard every day and every hours before they let their dogs out?

How can you explain about dogs who live on the farm that farmers need them out doing their job? Anyone toss a meat, or hotdogs with antifreeze to posion those working dogs. Is it supposed to be farmers' fault for not keeping their dogs safe?

 Quote: randy allen

Pray this poor sick individual is put out of their misery with a Greyhound bus or a piano from the fourth story apartment.
Randy

I admit that my thoughts about the poisoner are running along similar lines.

My dogs being poisoned is one of my worst fears living in the city. Recently a friends dog was very sick and they found it had rat poison in it's system. No one is sure where the dog got hold of rat poison, but the dog is being treated and will most likely survive.

When I bought an old house I aired it out by opening the back basement windows which don't have screens. It's a rowhome in the city with a house directly behind my yard (we have a 3 foot masonry wall between our yards). I didn't know the neighbors behind me, but I heard stories from neighbors that they had complained of rats in their home and were blaming it on the house I bought. Considering I knew the condition of my home (no holes in the sewer line or foundation wall with no one living in it for 5 years or food for that matter), I thought they were just dirty neighbors. Actually they were filthy with throwing dog food straight on the ground in their yard to feed their animals.

Anycase, a sink hole developed in my yard I could see entirely under the concrete pad of their yard, it was a rat borough. One day I go over to my house to do some work on it and a note is taped to my door explaining they heard the neighbors behind me threw rat poison not only into the sinkhole in my yard but also into my basement. Had it not been for that neighbors note I would have a dead dog now, since I always bring one with me.

People are crazy, so it's best to know how to treat a dog if they ingest it.

Kimberly

Well, I'm definitely not going to be drawn into a divisive argument over this, especially since I essentially agree with Randy. Hopefully, anyone that harms animals will suffer an excruciating and poetic fate. But I'm so shocked by some of your questions, Lindsay, that I need to respond to them. Consider this my final say on the matter:

 Quote:

I do not think it is fair to blame owners that their dogs got poisioned. No dogs deserved to be killed or posioned in any cruel manners.

I couldn't agree with you more.

 Quote:

I never leave any dogs outside all day with no one to watch. Anyone can always toss stuffs in the yard and you might don't even know it is there.

It sounds like you agree with me.

 Quote:

Should you take a blame for it if you found a dead dog in your yard?

If it was my dog? Yes.

 Quote:

Anything can happen whether you have the power to stop it or not. Should you accuse someone that it is their job to inspect whatever is in the yard every day and every hours before they let their dogs out?

Yes. Exactly! You've hit the nail on the head. It is the responsibility of the owner to inspect their yard every day and every hour before they let their dogs out. Will this prevent tragedy? Not always. But as pet lovers we owe it to them to do our due diligence. Is it asking so much, that we walk through our backyards before letting our dogs out? Do they mean that little to us?

Sadly, this is completely off topic. You do raise an important point. What about farmers? Who's dogs, to perform in their natural capacity, must be outdoors most of the time, and unsupervised at least some of it?

If I have an S&R dog that is killed during a search through debris, I've lost a dog who was working with me in a dangerous area trying to save lives. If a police dog is killed taking down a perp, he's potentially saved the life of a human officer. I'd almost equate the service a farmdog provides on this level. If he's killed by an errant hoof, he's died while being exposed to the reasonable and accepted risks that his duty entails. Is that the same as being tied up in the back yard and fed poisoned meat by a lowlife scumbag piece of trash? I submit that it is not.

My dog is completely contained and locked up in a safe place. But if someone wanted to poinson her, they could still do it. There are many poisoning methods out there and you can't always train it out of the picture.

This is one of my worst fears and keeps me from telling my neighbors what I REALLY think of them. I always make sure we're on friendly terms.

A good thing to get from this tragedy is:

QUOTE:
NAPCC has two telephone numbers for easy access:

(888) 4ANIHELP (426-4435): $45.00 per case (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express). The Center will do as many follow-up calls as necessary in critical cases, and at the owner’s request will contact his veterinarian. The Center also provides via fax specific treatment protocols and current literature citations when indicated.

(900) 443-0000: $45.00 per case appears on your telephone bill. The Center will do as many follow-up calls as necessary in critical cases, and at the owner’s request will contact their veterinarian. Follow-up calls can be made by calling (888) 299-2973.

The center also has an animal product safety service for manufacturers of veterinary, agricultural, and chemical products. This service provides a toll-free number to be printed on product labels and literature so that toxicity information and treatment advice are available to purchasers. There is no charge for calls made to the number provided on the product. This service also keeps case records, compiles quarterly reports, and works with manufacturers to increase product safety.

For additional information about the poison control center, visit the NAPCC at http://www.aspca.org/. END
from http://www.canismajor.com

Also, if we keep activated charcoal on hand and have our vet's number posted prominently, those are good proactive measures.

 Quote: David Eagle

Well, But I'm so shocked by some of your questions, Lindsay, that I need to respond to them. Consider this my final say on the matter:

I reread my post and I think it is a bit too blunt. I'm trying to get my point across in a much nice way. I think I have done a poor job. I hope you didn't take it as an offense.

 Quote: David Eagle

Sadly, this is completely off topic. You do raise an important point. What about farmers? Who's dogs, to perform in their natural capacity, must be outdoors most of the time, and unsupervised at least some of it?

I agree with many things you have said too and we are in the same boat here. Only thing I disagree is that I don't think it is fair for someone to blame owners who tried their best to keep their dogs safe as much as they can by keeping them indoor, or supervior in the yard and then some bad things happen to good owners; however, I do agree that irresponisble owners are at fault for not care about their dogs being outside 24/7.

Farm dogs have a job and it depends on how demanding their jobs are. I know some farmers who need livestock dogs to be on the watch all night because coytoes prey on their chicken, goats, or other animals.

 Quote: David Eagle

If I have an S&R dog that is killed during a search through debris, I've lost a dog who was working with me in a dangerous area trying to save lives. If a police dog is killed taking down a perp, he's potentially saved the life of a human officer. I'd almost equate the service a farmdog provides on this level. If he's killed by an errant hoof, he's died while being exposed to the reasonable and accepted risks that his duty entails. Is that the same as being tied up in the back yard and fed poisoned meat by a lowlife scumbag piece of trash? I submit that it is not.

I can understand and relate that, but it is not like someone is trying to kill the dog on purpose. We can't stop accidents, but we can try to minimize it. I don't think accidents are our faults if we tried our best to prevent them. Do you get what I'm saying? I hope so. I agree this is way off the topic so if we want to continue this discussion. We should PM each other.

This post brings up the question...

How does one train food refusal?

 Quote: Sarah Morris

This post brings up the question...

How does one train food refusal?

http://leerburg.com/poison.htm

It is hard for folks on this site to imagine the rural dog folk mentality. Even in my small town on many streets people let their dogs roam free.

Actually one of my avi dog collegues has no fenced yard and the dog stays out during the day (on non work days). This dog was was hospitalized for arsinic poisoning at a year old and almost died!!!! The owner still keeps it outside un-contained! I have heard him say he is pissed at his neighbour for leaving his garbage out (that his dog got into) and I just nod my head "whatever" as I have tried to tell him my view on this.

This guy LOVES his dog more than life itself, but he just doesn't get that this is so dangerous. Another workmate's dog (pet) was hit by a car last year in the same neighbourhood???!!! Some folks just have completely differing ideas on what is acceptable.

Their dogs I suppose...

For the record, I beleive my dog would cave on the food refusal if I was not there as well