Tweed Shire family heartbroken after losing four dogs to suspected Banora Point poison attack
“My family was each holding a dead dog”, wept Sarah Reynolds after a horrifying discovery in a Tweed backyard. She fears her dachshunds and chihuahuas were deliberately poisoned.
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A Tweed neighbourhood is fearful for their young children and pets after a resident suffered the heartbreaking loss of four family dogs, possibly baited in their own backyard.
Sarah Reynolds received a call from her 17-year-old daughter Tayla on Wednesday afternoon, warning that something awful was happening to their pets.
Their chihuahua Smokey, 13, was found lying on the ground and frothing at the mouth in the backyard of their Banora Point home.
Ms Reynolds rushed home to take all four of her dogs to Greenway Drive Veterinary Hospital where dachshund Bella, 1, and chihuahua Bruno, 8, began showing symptoms of poisoning.
The dogs were given oxygen and sedated as some were having seizures.
“They were getting worse. Their heart rates and temperatures were through the roof, their gums were bright red and they were bleeding from the mouth and bum,” she said.
“There were five vets all in trying to save their lives and they were bawling their eyes out, they were not okay either and came to the conclusion the poison was a deliberate act.”
Ms Reynolds and her two daughters watched as Smokey went into cardiac arrest and Bruno and Bella had to be put down.
“My family was each holding a dead dog,” she said.
The last dog, dachshund Harry, 7, watched his pack die before he too began experiencing symptoms shortly after and was put to sleep.
“To lose one family member is hard enough but to lose all four within two hours it’s just horrific,” Ms Reynolds said.
“They have been taken to get autopsies to find out what happened. The vet said it’s a chemical toxin they’d all been given to eat.”
Ms Reynolds believes someone in the area poisoned the dogs due to their barking.
“We had a handwritten note in the letterbox last week saying shut up your dogs from barking,” she said.
“We’ve had rocks slingshot into the backyard. Of course they will bark if they were being agitated.
“It’s not fair, whether they were barking or not, knock on our door and tell us they are being annoying, don’t kill them.”
Police are investigating the incident, while some neighbours are now scared to let their young children and animals outdoors.
A Tweed Shire Council spokesperson said comment could not be provided during an active police investigation.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up for single mum Ms Reynolds to help cover vet, post mortem and cremation costs.
Know more? Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The RSPCA has been contacted for comment.
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