Monday July 3rd 2023
Buddy, the Labrador from Dalkeith Pet Store recently lost his life to a poisoning at King's Park in Dalkeith.
Written by Midlothian View Editor, Phil Bowen
The poisoning of any animal is a horrendous experience and it can be difficult for pet owners who suffer this to get over the suffering of their beloved pet. According to DirectLine Group Vets treat 323 dogs and 56 cats for poisoning every day in the UK, with one in six owners believing their animal was deliberately poisoned. Seven percent of those animals taken to the Vet sadly pass away as a result. The most common breeds involved are Labradors, Cocker Spaniels and Poodle crosses.
Nick McMechan, Dog Trainer at Esk Valley Dog Training is particularly passionate about the issue. Having lost his beloved Lady, a Labrador X in 2017 due to a potentially malicious poisoning, he knows only too well the value of dog training, particularly training such as leave, drop, and off leash control. Whilst this didn’t avoid the demise of Lady, Nick is reaching out to gardeners across Midlothian to take extra care and think twice about using poisons.
Buddy, the Labrador from Dalkeith Pet Store recently lost his life to a poisoning at King’s Park in Dalkeith and Samantha Cochrane from the shop makes a passionate plea over the use of these chemicals:
“Walkers beware!
“It has now been a month since we lost our Buddy. Also known as ‘The Pet Shop Dog’, he was a minor celebrity in dog walking circles, the luckiest dog in town and friend to all, especially if you had a pocket full of peanut butter paws.
“A month ago, on a sunny Sunday, we walked him out through King’s Park and as is often the case, he spotted a rabbit and gave vague chase into the old Japanese Garden. A few moments later he returned, a smile on his face and a good sniff in the bag.
“It would be his last walk. Within a few hours he was sick. Then very sick and eventually he was retching up nothing. He refused all of his food and biscuits, and as any lab owner will testify, that is not normal.
“At the emergency vet in Loanhead, they confirmed that he had been poisoned. There was nothing they could do. It was in his system and he was going to die. We opted for the quicker and less painful euthanasia, an act that killed him and took a piece of our hearts with him.
“Someone laid the poison. Someone left a dangerous rodenticide in the open for any wild animal, pet or child to ingest. Some sick, vile human thought it was okay to leave deadly chemicals in a public place; an act of such unutterable cruelty, imbecility and abhorrence that I do not have enough words to convey my feelings for them.
“Rodenticide, herbicide, insecticide, biocides and nicotinoids – I detest them all. NONE of them are essential. They unnecessarily kill, damage and destroy wildlife, and now, my boy.
“Dog walkers, please be vigilant. Keep your pets in sight and under voice or lead control, for their sake as well as yours.
“Gardeners, embrace the wild. Don’t get rid of the variety and majesty of nature, just because you strive for the “perfect” lawn.
“Mice have their place, weeds have their place. My dog had his place.
“RIP Buddy Oct 2011 – Jun 2023′”
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