Claire Cator was walking her dog Buzz in Sheepcote Valley, a nature reserve near her home in Brighton, earlier this week when she saw him sniffing something in the field.
She had heard about dead rats and a fox up there so ran over to check what it was.
“There was a clump of bright pink pellets hidden in the long grass,” she said.
“I panicked and ran to fetch him and get him safely on the lead so he wouldn’t find or eat any more of it. I tried to find it again before I left so I could pick it up but I couldn’t find the exact spot.”
Claire took her dog Buzz to the vet straight away (Image: Claire Cator)
Claire called her vets – Coastways, in Freshfield Road – who told her to bring him in straight away. She did just that and they induced him to vomit.
“Luckily it seems we acted quickly enough and got it out before it had been properly digested,” she said.
“It really wasn’t a pleasant experience for him, bless him.
Buzz is a Romanian rescue who Claire has had for four years.
“I’m just grateful that I realised what he’d eaten as it could have had a very different outcome him,” she said.
“I’d hate anyone else’s dog to be affected or any wildlife.”
Claire reported the poison to the council and saw workers in the area, near Wilson Avenue and Warren Road the following day, Wednesday, January 10, looking for poison.
“I think they cleared the patch Buzz ate yesterday evening. It’s a huge area though, so it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
Brighton and Hove City Councillor Tim Rowkins, chairman of the city environment, South Downs and the sea committee, said: “We are concerned by the reports of dead rats in the open land near Warren Road. Our Cityparks team is investigating.
“The council has not carried out any pest treatments in the area.
“But it may be possible it’s a result of someone else carrying out pest control treatments nearby. To prevent any risk of secondary poisoning, we will remove any dead animals we find in the area.
“In the meantime, we would advise anyone walking dogs in the area to be cautious.”
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