Kingston resident warning pet owners about poisoned food left outdoors

A Kingston resident is advising pet owners to keep a close eye on their pets on their walks after finding a mound of food laced with what he believes to be anti-freeze.

Jordan Villeneuve was walking with his dog along a common walkway on Parkway St on the evening of Friday, March 1 when, under a light at the beginning of the walking path that leads down to Bath Rd, he noticed a large mound of bread rolls.

Villeneuve took a closer look as his dog neared the mound of food and noticed that it was soaked in a yellow, sweet-smelling liquid. Villeneuve immediately recognized it as anti-freeze.

After taking his pet home, Villeneuve returned to the site and removed the laced bread rolls. “I didn’t want someone else’s dog sick or dead,” he said. “I would have some choice words for the person if I caught them, my beagle almost got it.”

Dr Ryan Llera, a Kingston-area veterinarian, concurred that the description of the liquid is consistent with that of anti-freeze and that its ingestion by a pet should be taken very seriously by pet owners.

“Anti-freeze (has) a sweet taste to animals. We check for fluorescence on the lips. If an animal gets into it, immediate vet attention is necessary or damage to kidneys could be permanent or fatal,” said Dr Llera.

He says that typical signs of anti-freeze poisoning are a sweet smell on the breath and inebriated behaviour within 2-4 hours of ingestion. Neurological problems begin to present themselves at 4-7 hours after ingestion. Pet owners are advised to seek veterinary care immediately if they suspect a pet has ingested anti-freeze.