Poisoned sausages discovered at Sydney Park triggers rage of Southern Cross Vet Dr Sam Kovac

The discovery of deadly sausages, filled with rat poison, at a park regularly used by dog walkers has triggered the fury of a Sydney vet, blasting the “evil” act as a “form of terrorism”.

Dog-walkers have reportered baited sausages in Sydney Park, St Peters, particularly around the rockpool and wetlands of the popular green space. Picture: John Appleyard

The discovery of deadly poison-filled sausages at a popular Sydney park has prompted one vet to compare the actions to “a form of terrorism” and calling the practice “evil”.

Dog walkers who frequent Sydney Park, in St Peters, reported sightings of sausages lying around the park’s rockpool over the weekend. Unbeknown to their canine friends, the snags were poisonous baits, filled with rat poison.

“It is a form of terrorism,” owner of Southern Cross Vet Dr Sam Kovac said.

“The emotional harm it does to society and the worry that percolates through the pet-owning community cannot be overstated,” he said.

Dr Kovac said it was the equivalent of poisoning a vulnerable baby and the criminal activity should be punished.

A baited sausage found near the rockpool in Sydney Park, St Peters. There's been a discovery of the traps lately. Picture: Supplied

Baited traps not only kill but also give dogs gum bruising, called 'petechiae', pictured here. Picture: Supplied

“These maniacs should be locked up, the key thrown away and subject to anti-terrorism trials, because this is a form of inciting terror,” he said.

Dr Kovac said several customers reported spotting the deadly snags in the park, but luckily he hadn’t yet tended to a dog who’d eaten one of the traps in the latest spate of baiting, and since opening the clinic 10 years ago he’d seen about three deliberate mass-poisoning events.

Dr Sam Kovac, a veterinarian who treats animals in the city's inner-city and inner west, called baiting “evil” and a form of “terrorism”. Picture: Supplied

“This time the bait seems to be an old-school rat poison – it kills those who ingest it by stopping the blood from clotting, leading to internal bleeding and haemorrhage,” he said.

“Many of the baits were purposefully hidden underneath bushy shrubs to avoid detection by humans looking from above, but still very accessible to a dog.”

Dr Kovac echoed the sentiment of many dog owners and said the practice of baiting was “evil”.

“Unfortunately in society, there are people who don’t like dogs and some are evil enough to get pleasure out of harming our defenceless companions and tearing families apart when the dog ends up dying,” he said.

“No dog deserves to be in a situation where they have blood gushing from every orifice.”

Dr Kovac shared a few tips to keep Sydneysiders’ dogs safe in the short-term at Sydney Park and said there’s a telltale sign you can spot for potential poisoning.

“If you’ve been to the dog park, check your pet’s gums to identify little bruises called ‘petechiae’, which could indicate your pet had been poisoned,” he said.

A spokesman for the City of Sydney, the local government area where the park lies, said although council hadn’t observed an uptick in baiting themselves, it urged residents to remain vigilant.

“Rangers carry out regular patrols at our parks and encourage the community to alert authorities to any incident of dog baiting so measures can be taken to keep the community and their beloved animals safe,” he said.

“Should members of the public come across a suspected incident of dog baiting there are several ways for them to assist in maintaining the health and safety of everyone who uses our outdoor spaces.”

The spokesman said these include: seeking immediate medical care for your pet, report it to the police, RSPCA, or Animal Welfare League to investigate, as well as collecting the suspected bait and taking a photo of where it was found.

If someone is found guilty of baiting in NSW they could be looking at a maximum jail term of five years and/or a maximum fine of $22,000 under the 1979 animal-cruelty prevention act.