It was poison. It was deliberate. And it’s now officially a criminal investigation. That’s the conclusion police have reached after analyzing tests on dogs that became sick while walking through Withrow Park this weekend.
One animal died, and it’s the necropsy of that animal that has provided police with their best evidence.
“Preliminary results … indicate that the dog ingested a very toxic pesticide. The stomach contents were examined along with … vomit from the other dogs … and what appears to be some sort of food substance with blue granules embedded in it,” explains Detective Sydney Thomas.
They discovered it was a form of something called an organo carbomate, which is used for agricultural purposes.
Authorities are refusing to say exactly what kind of pesticide is involved, but will reveal that it isn’t readily available to the public, and can only be obtained by a qualified person specifically licensed to buy it. They're checking purchase records to see if they can track down a suspect.