Dog poisonings follow leash dispute

MSNBC.com ^ | 7/18/03 | AP

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

>Eight die after eating tainted sausage in Portland, Ore. park

In this congenitally dog-friendly city, where dogs once roamed free in city parks, someone is taking a debate over leash laws to a sinister level: Eight dogs have died, reportedly from eating poisoned sausage left in a park, and eight others have taken sick.

Autopsies indicated that someone laced the meat with the herbicide paraquat, veterinarians say. The poisonings began weeks after a round of local media reports dissecting the tensions surrounding the leash/no-leash issue in city parks.

Canine owners are on edge, certain that some lifelong dog-hater got sniffed one too many times by an unleashed pet, and decided to take revenge. They are packing fundraisers around the city to contribute toward a reward for information leading to an arrest. So far, the take is $13,000 and counting.

The dogs who have died were all roaming leafy Laurelhurst Park, recently identified in a study by graduate students at Portland State University as the park generating the highest number of complaints about off-leash dogs.

The popular park has been almost deserted since word first spread about the poisonings, and the few dog owners who do show up keep their tethers tight.

Megan Premo was walking there Thursday with Phoenix, an Australian Shepherd mix, restraining the dog every time he strained toward a clutch of nearby squirrels.

“It’s a shame I can’t let him off the leash without him getting in some poisoned sausage” said Premo, 24, the leash wound securely around her wrist.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

“It’s a shame I can’t let him off the leash without him getting in some poisoned sausage”

It's a shame that I can't bludgeon you to knock some sense into your head, Megan...but there are laws prohibiting it. You do understand 'laws' don't you? Perhaps that is too hard a question for someone from Portland.

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[sam_paine]

Hey. This is ok for cats in my backyard, but dogs in the park.......

Hey that reminds me of Dr. Demento's "Poisoning the pigeons in the Park" song!

[GovernmentShrinker]

There are also laws against placing poison where animals -- or young children -- might get into it. When they catch this guy -- and I guarantee it's a guy -- they should poison HIM with paraquat.

Sensible cities have either fenced areas of parks where dogs can run free, or selected parks which are designated for free-running dogs, and then strictly enforce leash laws outside those areas. When a law has been totally unenforced for years, people rather reasonably assume it's not really necessary to follow it -- sort of like the jaywalking laws on the books in many cities, about which we periodically hear stories of sudden attempts at enforcement, with random people getting tickets with fat fines for doing what everybody's been doing for years. Laws need to be enforced, changed, or taken off the books.

[DEPUTYMAYTAG]

How in the hell can you say this is a guy for sure?
In Ohio dogs are not allowed to run free in public areas, this is only common sence.

[afz400]

Just watch for the guy WITHOUT a dog in the park and pounce on him.

[July 4th]

It's also common sense not to place poisoned pieces of food in the park. If a dog eats it, it matters not that the dog is leashed or unleashed. Last I heard, leash citations came with a fine, not a death sentence for the dog.

[joesnuffy]

You can poison proof your dogs-teach them not to eat food not offered by you

[ought-six]

"You can poison proof your dogs-teach them not to eat food not offered by you."

You can also poison-proof your dog by getting rid of the lunatic who is lacing the sausages.

[mdmathis6]

"Dr. Demento's "Poisoning the pigeons in the Park" song!"


Actually Tom Lehrer wrote it for one of his Havard lunch time piano symposiums. Dr. Demento just picked it up for his various radio shows.

[lodwick]

Exactly correct.

[ican'tbelieveit]

It's all about those criminal dog owners letting their dogs run willy nilly until someone's precious kiddo finds one. There has to be a balance. If there is a law to have dogs on a leash, let the law enforcement enforce it, but how can someone justify poisoning dogs because the dog owner is breaking the law.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

You can also poison-proof your dog by getting rid of the lunatic who is lacing the sausages.

True.
Or you could keep your dog on a leash and learn the proper technique for handling a dog on a leash. It's for his safety as well as the convenience of others.

You wouldn't buy or handle a firearm that didn't have a safety mechanism on it, would you?

[Coop]

Autopsies

IIRC, should actually be necropsies (animal vs. human).

[Redbob]

You can also "poison proof" your dogs by keeping them on a leash - but that's apparently a difficult concept for the Portlanders.

[Chewbacca]

Asprin works good at poisoning cats, so I have heard.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Asprin works good at poisoning cats, so I have heard.

Good to know. But I've found that on my property, for the handling of starys, lead works best. Quick and effective.

[freekitty]

It's a real shame about the poisonings. What these people who want to unleash their pets don't understand is the serious consequences of unleashing can have. I have seen several small dogs seriously injured by the morons who believe they own "Lassie". These people just don't think smart and they don't care, and I would say pretty selfish. In fact, I don't think they really care about their pets. I would rather keep my pet safe by leashing it; than run into the problems that can and do occur.

It's a real shame when the issue has to be pushed to the extreme by poisoning innocent dogs; because the owner(morons) just can't be bothered by the doing the safe thing.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Very well said. I agree 100%. With dog ownership comes great responsibility. Responsibility for another life. Somewhat akin to being a parent. I care too much for my dog Charley to allow him off the leash when in public.

[Revelation 911]

poisoning is sick - In response to a neighbors continual violation of the local leash law by two dogs, My neighbor got a gob of suet and studded it with laxative, followed by a leash anonymously mailed to thier home.

She spent 7k on a fence -

no more problem