No walk in the park - dogs fall ill after “poisonings” in Inverleith Park
One dog has died and several are seriously unwell, after being taken for walks in Edinburgh's Inverleith Park
Last updated 21st Jul 2023
Dog owners are deeply concerned about cases of pets falling ill after walking in Inverleith Park.
The occurrences started a week ago, with dogs being rushed to the vet a few hours after eating “poisoned” grass.
So far, there have been multiple cases of dogs becoming severely ill and at least one dog had to be put down.
It's left local dog owners and walkers extremely worried for their pets.
The exact location of the “poisonings” is still uncertain, with some people pointing to the area nearby the pond and others near the monument.
Regular park goers are being extra cautious around the location.
One of them says: “We’re keeping our dogs on the leads, because we heard a few dogs have been poisoned down here, so we’re keeping a close eye and not letting them off lead today.”
Another owner noticed less people around the park in the past few days.
She says: “I’ve definitely seen less people around walking dogs. I think people are more aware of it and news has spread to be careful.”
The substance responsible for the “poisonings” is still unknown, but the police is working with Edinburgh City Council to run toxicology reports for identification.
Local councillor Vicky Nicolson is aware of the recent events and says the council is monitoring the situation: “It's not yet known what the cause of these sad instances of dogs becoming unwell.
“The Council is awaiting toxicology results from vets involved and once this is determined we will be much better informed.
“Council officers continue to investigate possible sources of contamination, and they're also in contact with dog owners and walkers.”
As of what people should do in the meantime, the councillor advises: “The advice that I've been given by Council officers is: don't let your dog pick anything up while you're out walking and maybe don't let them run freely until we've got all clear.
“Extra vigilance is necessary at the present.”