This year's May Day once again brought blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Perfect for an outdoor excursion - but in Stuttgart, an incident left residents on high alert.
Someone had set up a horrifying trap, which almost ended in heartbreaking catastrophe.
The shocking discovery
Climbing over rocks with her canine companion, the dog owner spotted a large pile of pasta covered with a suspicious white substance.
She tried to remove everything as quickly as possible, her unfortunately her dog had already consumed some of the bait.
It later emerged that the white powder was xylitol (birch sugar). While harmless to humans, this sugar substitute can cause severe poisoning in dogs even in small amounts. In severe cases, it can be lethal.
The dog owner's swift reaction proved life-saving. She immediately took her four-legged friend to the veterinary clinic for emergency treatment.
"Thankfully, everything turned out well. She acted quickly", a friend told Dogorama. "Please watch out for your dogs!!!".
Warning to all pet owners
Stuttgart Police have been informed of the incident and have launched an investigation. Whether this was a targeted attack on animals or negligent behaviour remains unclear.
This incident serves as another reminder of how important it is to remain vigilant, always keeping an eye out for unusual objects or food items along the way.
