Wales On Sunday

‘Fatbergs’ could be fatal to dogs on beaches

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young side going on to deliver performanc­es and results that left everyone in Welsh football excited.

But that seemed in doubt when the tragic news struck the entire country, leaving friends, former team-mates and the entire Welsh football community in shock.

Recalling his reaction to the news of five years ago today, Giggs said: “I think like anyone it was ‘No, it’s not true.’ Then you started to get confirmati­on that it was.

“It was just one of those moments where I remember where I was, total shock.

“That might only happen to you three or four times, but that was one I will never forget... because of the things I have said about how special Gary was.” DOG walkers in Wales are urged to look out for potentiall­y fatal “fatbergs” which are washing up on beaches following Storm Angus.

The fatbergs, which are made up of congealed palm oil from the Caribbean, have been washing up on the UK coastline.

While dogs love the smell, eating them could kill them.

TV vet Marc Abraham has warned owners to keep an eye out for the deadly debris.

He said: “Dogs will pick up anything on the beach, from pebbles, to food to palm oil.

“These things can cause twofold problems, the first is gastro, the second is foreign body obstructio­ns.

“As the palm oil is so gelatinous it can get lodged in the oesophagus and require emergency surgery.

“If you think your dog has swallowed something it shouldn’t, contact your vet immediatel­y.”

Palm oil is a white or yellow waxy substance that smells strongly of diesel or firelighte­rs.

It is poisonous to pets and in its solid form can cause stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs, which can prove fatal.

The oil, which is found in soap, shampoo and food, is harmless to humans.

The fatbergs have already been spotted on beaches in Kent.

Dog walkers there are being urged to be extra cautious while out walking on the beaches at Margate and Thanet.

In 2014 similar blobs washed up on beaches in Cornwall, leading to the death of several dogs and many more needing treatment.

At the time, Claire Wallerstei­n, of Cornwall-based Rame Peninsula Beach Care, said: “It’s incredibly dangerous. Dozens of dogs have died in Cornwall and people need to know that it’s around.

“We want to warn people about it, we want people to be aware and careful with their dogs at the beach.

“They need to get their dogs to the vets as soon as possible if they think they might have eaten any of this stuff, or they could die.

“It’s perfectly legal for ships to dump it into the sea.

Hopefully, at some point, the law will be changed, because obviously this stuff is dangerous and it shouldn’t be legal.”

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Follow us on Twitter @WalesonSun­day Facebook.com/WalesOnlin­e
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 ??  ?? Roger Speed, father of late Wales legend Gary Speed
Roger Speed, father of late Wales legend Gary Speed

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