‘Evil and thoughtless’: Warwick family targeted in shocking dog-baiting attack

‘If either of these dogs died … it would be like losing a kid’: One Warwick couple’s devastation after their backyard was baited with lethal doses of rat poison in broad daylight.

The Warwick couple's dogs, named Mac and Lola. Picture: contributed

A Warwick couple are now fearful for their beloved dogs’ lives after their backyard was brazenly baited with sausages stuffed with lethal doses of rat poison.

One of the pair, who did not wish to be named, was hanging out washing in their Wood Street backyard early on Monday afternoon when she noticed her dogs, Mac and Lola, sniffing at the meat.

She said it wasn’t until she picked up the two sausages she realised they were stuffed with several rat poison pellets each, and one of her dogs had eaten at least a quarter of one.

“I had a bit of a delayed response, then realised someone had tried to kill my dogs,” she said.

“I grabbed (the sausage) out of Mac’s mouth straight away, but (the pellets) were stuffed down the whole length so I figured he must have had at least one of them.

“To get to my yard that morning, they would have had to jump over (my neighbour’s) back fence and then thrown them over her side fence … so someone’s gone to some effort to get to them in here.”

The Warwick couple said their backyard would have to be accessed via their back neighbours, meaning a "lot of effort" for the person who tried to poison the animals. Picture: contributed

The resident rushed her dog to the Warwick Vet Clinic, where he underwent treatment and blood tests before being allowed to return home later that afternoon.

Nearly 24 hours of stress and hundreds of dollars in vet bills later, the Warwick woman said she was deeply shaken by the malicious intent behind the attempted poisoning.

“(My dogs) are inside asleep most of the day … and even if they were loud, I’d rather they put a cranky note in our letterbox or something. I’d 100 per cent prefer that to two dead dogs,” she said.

“This person has gone to some effort, that’s the worst thing. They’ve had multiple points along the way to think whether this was mean or unnecessary, but they’ve kept going.

“It’s a very evil and thoughtless thing to do. If either of these dogs died, I would be so devastated it would be ridiculous … it would be like losing a kid.”

The resident said she reported the incident with both Warwick police and Southern Downs Regional Council, and was told by both parties the incident would be looked into but there “likely wasn’t a lot they could do”.

Dog poisoning from eating rodent baits or affected animals have skyrocketed in Warwick since the beginning of the region’s mice plague. Picture: Bill Hearne / staff

Warwick Vet Clinic veterinarian Hannah Luck said cases of rat bait poisoning had skyrocketed during this year’s devastating mice plague, making it difficult to pinpoint suspicious cases.

“It stops the blood from clotting in the body so you get a lot of bleeding … (and) it can cause breathing difficulties, bleeding from the mouth or blood in the faeces, and death if not treated immediately,” she said. 

“It’s more dogs eating their owners’ baits or mice that have been affected. I definitely think if they can avoid using bait in general it’s ideal, but I know that’s not always possible.

“We’re just urging people to be vigilant and check their area for risks, because it can be tough to know whether neighbours are baiting too.”

Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact Warwick police on 4660 4444.