Avalon Beach, Careel Bay dog owners on watch after pooch dies from rat bait at park

The death of a beloved Sydney pet dog, killed by a bait laced with rat poison, has sparked a call for authorities to do more to catch those responsible.

Malu the Labrador/Great Dane cross. Picture: Supplied

Dog owners on the northern beaches are on high alert after a beloved family pet died when a bait laced with rat poison was left at a local park.

Stacey Laing and her husband Adam have been told by vets their beautiful dog Malu suffered the horrible death after ingesting the bait near the Hitchcock Dog Park at Careel Bay.

The Avalon Beach couple has been left heartbroken after the labrador/Great Dane cross, a rescue dog, died on Monday after a brave battle against the ravages of the poison.

Malu the Labrador/Great Dane cross. Her owners said she died after eating a bait impregnated with rat poison left in, or near, the Hitchcock Dog Park at Careel Bay. Picture: Supplied

Ms Laing is now urging people to call the council to act against any reported baiting in the area.

She has also urged Northern Beaches Council to install signs, thouroughly check the parks with rangers and perhaps install security cameras

“We just don’t want this happening to anyone else,” Ms Laing said.

Ms Laing also reported the incident to the RSPCA and Northern Beaches Police.

Malu was known by hundreds of lcoals. Picture; Supplied

With the help of friends, she has also put up unofficial warning posters around the area alerting dog owners to Malu’s death and to report any evidence of dog baiting to the council.

Ms Laing suspects Malu sniffed out and ate the bait while out for a 30-minute walk with Mr Rehak and their other pet dog Hector last Sunday evening around Hitchcock Park and the nearby Careel Bay sports fields.

Malu had been let off her lead for a run for just five minutes.

The eight-year-old pet suddenly fell terribly ill on Monday morning and was rushed to her local vet, before being transferred to the Northside Emergency Vet Service at Terrey Hills.

But Ms Laing explained that despite the team of vets from two practices working on her, Malu could not be saved.

“Toxicology and blood work showed there was an anticoagulant commonly found in rat poison. She basically bled to death,” she said.

“I’m still shell-shocked. All I’ve done is cry for three days.

“I had the world’s most calm, quiet dog that everybody knew and everybody loved.

“She wouldn’t take anything from anyone’s hand, she was quite timid, so we’re mindblown that she picked up something like that.”

Ms Laing said she was also overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief in the tight-knit dog owner community.

She said Malu was known by hundreds of locals because she was used by a dog training outfit, The Bright Canine, to help with calming and de-escalating reactive dogs on the training courses.

Ms Laing’s Facebook posts about Malu’s death have had more than 400 responses.

The council has carried out several patrols during the past month around Careel Bay, but has not found any evidence of dog baiting activities.

One of the unofficial signs that have been put up around the Careel Bay sports fields and Hitchcock Park warning of a potential dog poisoner. Picture: Supplied

Rangers will continue to visit the area as a deterrent to would-be poisoners.

The council confirmed it was not undertaking any baiting program for foxes or other feral animals in the Careel Bay area.

“Council staff are proactively monitoring the area to check for any evidence of dog baiting and to deter such illegal activities,” Council CEO Ray Brownlee said.

“Rangers have not observed any evidence of dog baiting in the area in recent patrols.”