A Kaleen woman says she is devastated after both her dogs were found dead after they were baited with meat laced with suspected rat poison.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Alecia Callan's two dogs, a malamute named Tikaani and her rottweiler called Koda, died on June 2 after eating the suspected poison, which was left in Ms Callan's backyard.
It comes after a similar incident in Waramanga last week, which resulted in the death of a German shepherd and seven other dogs falling ill after also eating meat laced with rat poison.
Ms Callan said she saw her dogs as part of the family and was still coming to terms with their deaths.
"My dogs were and will always be everything to me. They weren't pets, they were my kids," she said.
"Everything I did revolved around them, whenever I went away they would come with me."
Ms Callan said when she came home on June 2, both of her dogs were acting normally and were outside at the time when she fell asleep that night.
When she woke up later that night, however, neither responded to her calls.
"I left the garage door open earlier in the night and thought they might have just curled up in there to sleep inside as they normally sleep in my bed," Ms Callan said.
"I walked in and found both of them curled up together with a pool of blood coming from their mouths and it was already too late.
"They were already gone, cold."
The 24-year-old said she noticed what she thought was "meat with green pebbles" in it near her back gate earlier in the week.
"As it was untouched and the dogs were acting fine, I thought it was fine, which was a massive error of judgement on my part," she said.
A report has been lodged with both the RSPCA and ACT Police about the incident.
A spokeswoman for RSPCA ACT said while it was highly likely both dogs died due to be being baited with poison, the exact cause of death wasn't confirmed as tests weren't carried out before the dogs were buried.
"There was no testing carried out but it's suspected it was poisoning," the spokeswoman said.
"The report into the incident said there was vomit found near the dogs with blood in it, which normally is a symptom of poisoning."
The RSPCA advised that anyone who suspects their pets have been poisoned should take them to the nearest vet.
The spokeswoman said while it can be difficult to prove instances of animal baiting and poisoning, eyewitnesses and help from the public can help to do so.
