Quote: connie sutherland

There are things to learn from this tragedy. I guess we will all take away different lessons.

Good statement Connie.

When I agreed with David I did not mean to be passing judgement on the owner of this dog and/or the situation. I simply put myself in their shoes and I'd say to myself -- "I failed my dog".

Thanks for the charcoal and peroxide info. too Connie.

 Quote: Jennifer Coulter

I also fully accept that if someone wants to poison a dog it is not too tough. Secure yards, kennels or what have you...

The 3rd floor apartment we just moved out of (we lived in a somewhat small city) had a front door with just enough space under it to slide or pour something thin and tastey... For a while our direct next door neighbor was a COMPLETE crazy woman who absolutely despised my dog (cronic fear of dogs, all dogs) and therefore didn't think to highly of me either. After a few incidents that pushed her over the edge (through NO fault of mine, or my very good natured dog - the woman was just a nut case) she began threatening me and doing physical damage to items in our shared hallway. She was so unpredictable that I became intesely concerned that she would slip something tainted under our door to poison my dog (who definitely would have eaten it if it smelled good)... I have no idea if she actually would have, but it worried me enough that I never left him home alone again, period.

In this case, even a very secure, contained and protected urban space for a dog (enclosed in a locked apartment) could have allowed just enough room for a determined nutter to harm my dog... Where there's a will, there's often a way.

Call me parnoid, I don't take chances with loonies... the point is only that these things are often easier to accomplish than we'd like to think, and it can happen to even careful owners.

 Quote: Jennifer Coulter

I am pretty sure we are all on the same page here, aren't we?

Most certainly.

~Natalya

I had kids break into my in-ground/ground floor patio and try to take my dog when I first adopted her. I was one room over doing something for "just a moment" when I heard talking and looked over and the dog was gone from my living room.. I had closed blinds and a locked screen door with the sliding door open, they hopped in the porch, pried the screen open, and tried to get my pup to jump the patio and run with them. If they had been adults or teens who really wanted my pup.. they probably could have snatched her and run. It can happen any time..

My grandpa had an English Setter he adored, and one day while he was mowing the lawn a neighbor who hated dogs left tainted/poisoned meat in the back yard while he mowed the front (dog had invisible fence, through front & back) and his Setter got to it before he did.. sadly, she died. I don't know details - I was about 3 at the time. But even with him IN the yard with her it still happened.

I agree with Natalya.. if someone is set on doing something, they will do it. With the OP... I would feel safer with my dog tied out over 70 feet from the road in a rural town than I would 10' from my house in suburbia. Not that I'd let her be tied unsupervised, but we're human. I'm sure the owner in that situation felt safe to do so and as was pointed out, it was a spree.. anything was probably targeted. Such a shame, I hope they catch the person.

Another place for articles on poisonous (and not poisonous) substances, some of which we have around our homes: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_dyk

To the right of the listed substances are other articles that are helpful (toxic plants, etc).

I once found an empty antifreeze bottle that had fallen out of someone's recycle bin, uncapped, and was laying on the sidewalk. Fortunately I was able to spot it before my dog took any interest in it, put it back in the bin and wouldn't touch my dog or his leash with that hand until I washed it. Didn't see any drops on the sidewalk, but there could have been some. There are several loose dogs around here and I've read antifreeze has quite a tempting sweet taste to a dog. And of course, poisonous as heck and only takes a drop or two.