Bird-brained crow killers poison dog
A FAMILY pet is dead and residents fear young children are at risk after a mass poisoning of crows at a popular Gold Coast park.
Concerned families have contacted the Bulletin after more than 20 crows were found dead in Ossie Keegan park at Mermaid Waters. Under Queensland law, whoever killed the birds could face a fine of $110,000 or 12 months jail.
Resident Nick Chapman buried his family’s five-yearold golden retriever Sophie after she ate a suspected poisoned bait in the park on November 19.
“We were walking from tree to tree picking up macadamia shells. I’ve seen my dog eat something,” Mr Chapman told the Bulletin.
“She started walking drunk. I’ve taken her to the Varsity Lakes emergency centre for pets. I had to carry her inside. I told them the dog had been poisoned.”
Veterinary staffers believed the symptoms shown by Sophie were similar to a dog that had eaten an entire toad, he said.
“My dog arrested, she had a temperature of 40-plus. They gave her adrenaline, they put a breathing tube down her,” Mr Chapman said.
“They told me they didn’t think they could save my dog but if they did it would cost (under emergency care) $10,000.”
After talking to residents living near the park, the Chapman family was gutted to learn of a slaughter of crows just two days before Sophie’s death.
Residents conducting their own surveillance obtained photographs of a person disposing of the birds and lodged complaints with the RSPCA.
In a flyer sent out to warn other families, Mr Chapman wrote: “It is believed (it’s a) deliberate poisoning because of a noise disturbance. Our dog died after eating something in the park.
“If you know who did this or have had crows unexpectedly die in your yard, please pass on the information to the RSPCA as we believe this has happened before as our pets and children are still at risk.”
Another resident who asked not to be named said it was the second time baits had been placed in the park to remove crows because they were noisy during breeding season.
“It happened last year. It’s the noise from the crows. It was definitely a deliberate poisoning,” she said.
“We have hundreds of crows everywhere and the next thing we had 15 to 20 dropping out of trees. We walk that park every day. Everyone does to get to school. How long before one of these baits is taken by a baby? It’s not on.”
Mr Chapman said the council should be warning residents after workers placed the dead crows in rubbish bins. But he believes little communication occurs between the RSPCA and other agencies, making it difficult to launch investigations.
A council spokesman told the Bulletin: “City maintenance officers disposed of the dead crows from the park and at the time were unaware the crows were victims of poisoning.”
The council was not investigating because “as native animals, crows fall under the responsibility of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection”.
“The city is not publicising the matter as crows do not fall under council jurisdiction,” the spokesman said. “The city offers its sincere condolences to the family and advises that suspected poisoning cases like this should be reported directly to the police.”
Under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act, the maximum penalty is $110,000 or 12 months’ jail for killing 10 or more crows.