Residents of the Flingern district in Düsseldorf, Germany, spotted the packages while walking their dogs around the neighbourhood. The poison baits raised suspicions, and one owner reported them to the police.
A shocking find
Authorities investigated and discovered that each package contained deadly rat poison. Policed recovered all the packages before any dog mistakenly consumed them as treats.
Police found a total of five poisonous treats. They are now searching for the evil person responsible.
A local dog owner set up a Facebook group to alert others about the deadly packages.
"DANGER!," reads one post written by a police officer overseeing the investigation. "This morning when we went for a walk, we found 5 POISON BAITS IN FLINGERN. This is what they look like. Keep sharing."
The news shocked and outraged the local community, with many people posting comments and warnings.
"That's absurd. I've never seen anything like it," wrote one person.
"It's pure evil," stated another.
A deadly poison
The incident may be related to an argument between a dog walker and a man who said he was fed up with dogs doing their 'mess' on the pavements. Some locals think this dog hater is trying to take the law into his own hands. Police are following up on inquiries.
The effects of ingesting the poison would have been agonising and potentially fatal. Rat poisons are designed to kill rodents by interfering with their blood clotting mechanisms. These products often contain substances that prevent blood from clotting properly, leading to internal bleeding.
If you suspect your dog has ingested rat poison or any other harmful substance, seek immediate veterinary attention. If it's out of office hours, contact a pet 24-7 emergency service. It has specialists on call around the clock to provide immediate care for sick and injured animals.
