Some dog owners in Delta, B.C. are on high alert after several canines have fallen ill when they consumed meat mysteriously left on the ground of a popular off-leash park.
Tash, a five-year-old chocolate lab, and her owner Ron McKelvie were walking through Ladner’s North 40 Park on Sunday when the dog discovered a piece of rotting raw meat.
“It was like a good sized pork chop, about three-quarters of an inch thick,” said McKelvie. “The dog owners here already know about all the meat that's showing up unexpectedly.”
Residents believe the meat is making dogs like Tash sick.
Colleen King was walking her two poodles when one of them brought her an unpleasant surprise.
“It was a bone, about [1.5 feet) long with pinkish meat on it that he brought out of the bush,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going here, it’s weird.”
Dog owners have their theories as to how the meat is ending up in the park. Some speculate it could be photographers baiting wildlife, while others think it might be the wildlife itself.
“There're lots of eagles overhead and there's also lots of photographers out here,” said McKelvie.
“I tend to think it might be the eagles, because there are a lot of them here,” noted King, adding that the birds could be plucking disposed meat from a nearby landfill and feasting on it in the park.
Feeding wildlife in B.C. can carry a hefty fine, and even jail time – but the BC SPCA says the risk it poses to animals is even more severe.
“If you notice your dog being ill, especially if they're dehydrated and vomiting, the best course of action is to see a vet,” said Marcy Moriarty, BC SPCA. “It can turn serious quite quickly.”
Until the mystery of the rotting meat is solved, Delta dog owners say they’ll be keeping a close eye on their canines.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Sarah MacDonald
