Warning to dog owners as more poisonings reported
MP HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS OF CONSTITUENTS OVER SEVERAL SUSPECTED NEW CASES
DOG walkers have been urged to take extra care by an MP amid several reports of pets being poisoned in Leicestershire.
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, said several of his constituents had contacted his office to report cases of potential dog poisoning in the Devitt Way area of Broughton Astley, the Redrow Estate, in Countesthorpe, and Fosse Meadows Country Park, near Frolesworth,
The reports come after some walkers also reported their dogs becoming ill after ingesting objects at Clarendon Park, in Hinckley, and Watermead Park, near Leicester, a few weeks ago.
Mr Costa said: “Reports of dog poisoning are always deeply concerning and, of course, incredibly worrying to dog owners and walkers.
“My office has been contacted by a number of constituents in recent days with cases of their dogs being violently sick after being walked in open spaces in several villages both in South Leicestershire and the wider county.
“I would really urge owners to be extra careful when walking with their dogs and to report any suspicious instances to their local authority’s environmental health team”.
Mr Costa said he would be passing all the cases on to police, adding: “If dogs are indeed being poisoned then I sincerely hope the offenders are caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“These are callous and abhorrent crimes with the sole intention of harming defenceless animals and beloved family pets and, therefore, I would reiterate my call to dog walkers to be especially careful over the next few weeks.”
Visitors to Leicester’s Aylestone Meadows have been urged to keep their dogs on leads in some parts of the beauty spot.
“Three areas of Riverside Park have been sprayed with herbicide – please keep your dog on a lead if you are walking through that area of the park,” say city council notices.