Weed killer almost claimed my dog’s life
A woman has claimed her dog became seriously ill after benches on a Troon beach were sprayed by weed killer.
Jane McClymont, 66, from Troon, feared her pet pooch Sam “wasn’t going to make it” after he became unwell – and she has claimed that six other dogs became sick.
The retired bank worker noticed that a man was spraying benches at Barassie beach just days before her dog fell ill. Her ten-year-old Maltese and Shitzu had to spend two days under the care of vets, costing Jane around £300.
Concerned that the substance sprayed on benches could be the cause of her dog’s illness, Jane, of Beach Road, called South Ayrshire Council who confirmed that they had contracted a firm to kill weeds along the shore.
A council worker told Jane that the substance used was Round-Up – a commonlyused weed killer that “there was no risk to animals.”
Jane discovered that there is a risk when the spray is not dry. The furious owner, who lives with her husband Ian, 63, said: “We live across the road from Barassie beach. A few weeks ago I noticed this man who was spraying round the benches.
“He didn’t have a highvis on, it was strange, but I didn’t really think much of it but then my dog Sam took unwell.
“He wasn’t eating or drinking at all, he was really lethargic, then he kept being sick. He’s just a small dog and he’s never had any issues before. We just knew something wasn’t right.
“I phoned the council to ask if they had anyone out spraying the benches on March 8.
“The woman on the phone told me it was work that was contracted out to kill weeds and that they were using Round-Up but it wasn’t harmful to animals.
“But I researched RoundUp and it can be a risk to pets when the product has not dried.
“Everyone’s out here walking their dogs all the time, especially now the weather is better.
“The company used by the council has sprayed this stuff all around the sides of benches and bins.
“I’ve heard of at least another six owners who say their dogs have become unwell recently after walking along the beach.”
Sam was taken to the vets who were left puzzled by the poor pooch’s condition. Blood tests at Vets4Pets in Irvine did not reveal any toxins but vets told Jane it is difficult to detect.
The canine’s condition resulted in two days at the vets where they monitored him after he became severely dehydrated. But Jane admits she feared the worst.
She added: “It was terrible to see him like that. One of the nights he was so ill I was up twice to see if he was still breathing. I really did become worried for his life.
“He lost a kilo in weight and he’s only an 8kg dog to start with.”
Jane is convinced that her dog’s mystery illness can only be to do with the substance on the bench.
And she has asked that residents or dog walkers be made aware of the risk.
Jane said: “It is such a popular spot for dog walkers, they are always up and down and their dogs are rolling about sniffing benches and bins. There’s about 12 benches all along the beach.
“We didn’t even get notified that this was to happen, there were no signs put up or anything to warn us.”
A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: “It’s a distressing time when our pets are unwell and we hope the dog makes a full recovery. The weed treatment we use is RoundUp, the same as people use in their gardens at home.
“It’s considered to be safe to humans and animals.”
The manufacturers of Round-Up were contacted but they did not respond.