Poisoned by the post ... dogs left in agony after eating chocolate sent by Sainsbury’s
DOGS needed emergency treatment after eating free chocolate sent to their owners by Sainsbury’s.
The supermarket posted samples of Green & Black’s bars, but they were ripped open and devoured by the pets when they landed on doormats.
Chocolate can be fatal for dogs and owners said they had been left with huge vet bills after finding their stricken pets beside the empty confectionery packaging.
Sammy Taylor, from Kent, wrote on Facebook that her pomeranian puppy Bruno needed his stomach pumped. She told the supermarket: ‘I am furious that you would think… posting 70 per cent dark
‘He was curled up under the sofa’
chocolate samples through the letter boxes of people’s homes is responsible and safe.
‘I was out for less than two hours to return home and find three bars of dark chocolate devoured at my doorstep and a very hyper puppy having heart palpitations.’
Designer Dan Dugdale, 27, from Wetherby in West Yorkshire, said his miniature dachshunds Susie and Humphrey ‘went crazy’ and needed urgent treatment.
‘Within five minutes it was ripped to bits,’ he said of the packaging.
Sarah Hayward’s parents had to rush to the vet with her cocker spaniel Jarvis when they found he had gobbled up the treats.
She said: ‘He was put on various drips to flush fluids down him to try and induce him to be sick.’ One owner, who did not want to be named, said he found his greyhound curled up under the sofa, adding: ‘We’ve been left with a £420 bill so far and he still needs to have his catheter removed.’
Boxes of chocolate bars were sent to hundreds of reward card holders as part of a joint promotion by Sainsbury’s and Nectar. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, both of which are potentially fatal to dogs as they cannot metabolise them.
Dr Huw Stacey, of Vets4Pets, said because the chocolate was posted, owners could have been unaware of what had happened for hours. He said: ‘This could lead to a potential emergency incident and I’d urge any owner who suspects their dog has eaten chocolate to speak, and be prepared, to take them straight to their vet for a check over.’ Sainsbury’s said it was ‘extremely sorry for the distress’ it had caused and had begun an ‘urgent investigation’ into what went wrong.
A spokesman confirmed owners would be compensated.