CONTENT WARNING: The contents of this article may be distressing to some readers.
Authorities are investigating the suspicious deaths of four beloved pet dogs, who all died under similar circumstances within the same suburb — all in the same month.
The dogs lived in Moresby, in regional WA, and some owners suspect their beloved fur babies may have been poisoned.
“What our dog went through, it’s just indescribable,” said Greg Finlay, who witnessed the death of his 18-month-old cattle dog Clancy in September, per ABC News.
He said Clancy experienced horrific symptoms before his death, including vomiting, having seizures, yelping and jaw snapping. Finlay says these are all symptoms of poisoning from 1080 bait, which is used to control the populations of rabbits, foxes, feral pigs and yes, dogs (though, specifically wild ones).
However, authorities told ABC News there were no active baiting programs on at the time.
Clancy died within two hours of falling ill. Before he became sick, he wandered out to the front gate of the property.
“I’ve been through a fair bit in my life and seen a lot of things, but that’s the most horrific thing that me and my wife have ever seen and we’ll never forget it,” Finlay said.
Mikayla Norman told ABC News that their dog Zar died in August in a similar way to Clancy.
“It’s not a nice thing to watch your dog go through … it’s not only us, there’s so many families in the Moresby area,” she said.
Zar was in their yard when he became ill.
Three more dogs became ill with similar symptoms, but only one survived.
According to ABC News, several dog owners were concerned their dogs had been deliberately targeted.
The deaths all occured between August and September. ABC News reported that the Shire of Chapman Valley, which is nearby, said it was aware of alleged pet poisonings in July.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said it was investigating the matter, and urged anyone who might have information relating to the deaths to contact Crimestoppers WA.
