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DENVER (KDVR) A poison pellet that appears to have been legally dispensed was eaten by a dog while walking through the Tapestry Hills neighborhood, leading to an investigation.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the agency’s animal law enforcement officers are investigating the “recent” incident, in which a dog “ingested rodent poison while walking through the Tapestry Hills neighborhood.” The agency did not share details of the dog’s condition on Sunday afternoon.
The dog, Emma, is an 11-month-old German Shepherd who was hospitalized for the poison. The dog’s owner, Jens Loechert, told Sims that animal law enforcement told her the poison “was not intentionally spread to kill animals like dogs,” but was instead spread in a backyard and carried elsewhere by wildlife.
The neighborhood appears to be located off Buffalo Trail, near Daniels Park, in Castle Pines.
“Animal Law Enforcement Officers are working to determine the exact number of tablets that would have come in the package that the individual purchased to determine if there is still a cause for concern for other neighbors in the area,” said Douglas County Animal Law Enforcement Sgt. Bryanna Munns in a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office release.
“This serves as a good reminder to take extra precautions when using rodent poison. Always consider the potential risks to pets, wildlife, and children in your community,” Munns added.
Brian Decker walks his dog Sube in the same area often.
“I happened to go on Nextdoor and I saw that someone had posted their dog had actually gotten sick by ingesting some of these pellets then I immediately looked at where this was located and I realized it was really close to our house and where I typically walk,” Decker said. “So I read through all the different replies and was obviously interested because I have the dogs I’m walking with most mornings.”
He told Sims that he hadn’t seen any of the poison pellets, but said he was going to be on high alert and maybe start taking his dog walks in different areas.
“Thankfully our kids are not as small, they wouldn’t pick that up and put it in their mouths, but of course, it would be concerning if they were just out in the backyard playing and that they would ingest it,” Decker said. “It’s just good the original poster put it out there for people in the area for people to be on alert.”
He said he was concerned that the poison might be distributed by wildlife.
“That’s one of the great things I love about living in this area is that all the wildlife, the hawks, the birds, the deers and whatnot,” Decker told Sims. “So the pellets being out there and the wildlife potentially ingesting the pellets is really concerning to me, too. It’s a little bit frustrating that that would be used to try to take care of a rodent problem that other animals can be harmed by it.”
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly also weighed in on the incident.
“The safety of our community, including its pets, remains a top priority,” he said in a sheriff’s office release. “We appreciate the cooperation of all residents as we work together to prevent incidents like this from happening again.”
Douglas County authorities recommend residents follow several safety tips when using rodent poison, including:
- Read and follow all label instructions carefully
- Place poisons only in areas that are inaccessible to pets and children
- Securely store unused poison in a safe location
- Monitor outdoor areas for signs that the poison may have been moved or scattered.
Anyone who suspects their pet has ingested rodent poison should seek immediate veterinary care. Contact Douglas County Animal Law Enforcement at 303-660-7529 for more information.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, pets often eat baits or poisoned rodents, leading to their own poisoning. If you are using rodenticides around your home and have pets, keep the original packaging or receipt so the type of poison can be identified.
It can also be a good idea to make a list of where, when and how much poison is dispersed around your property.