Lake algae may pose a risk to dogs
‘NO SWIMMING’ ADVICE FOR PETS
DOG owners have been warned to keep their pets out of water at an East Staffordshire beauty spot after potentially toxic algae was spotted.
Blue-green algae has been reported on one of the lakes at Barton Marina.
Types of blue-green algae can make dogs very sick or even kill them as it can produce harmful toxins.
These toxins can stop a dog’s liver from functioning properly, with exposure to toxic blue-green algae often proving fatal for dogs.
It can also cause long-term health problems in dogs that drink or go swimming in algae-contaminated water.
Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog just 15 minutes to an hour after they have ingested contaminated water.
However, not all types of the bluegreen algae, which is naturally occurring, are harmful.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it was always advisable to treat all reports of algae as potentially toxic, but despite reports circulating on social media from people warning dog owners, no one had reported the issue to the agency until it was contacted by the Burton Mail.
A spokesman said: “We have not received any reports about algae on Barton Marina.
“However, following information from the Burton Mail, we have contacted the landowner so they are aware and can take any necessary steps, such as putting up notices.
“We would advise people not to let their dogs swim in water if they suspect blue-green algae is present.
“We also urge people to ring our incident hotline (24 hours a day) on 0800 80 70 60 if they spot an environmental incident such as an algal bloom.”
A spokeswoman for Barton Marina also said no one had reported the algae to management there, but she added that new signs had gone up around the marina asking people to keep their dogs under control.
She said: “All the signs have gone up, which are brand new, asking owners to keep their dogs under control and not letting them go into the lake.
“We’re taking all the precautions as we want to protect the wildlife, as at the moment we have little ducklings.
“People need to be mindful of that as well.”
Algae occurs naturally in inland waters such as rivers, streams and lakes and during long periods of warm weather it can multiply and form blooms.