Caroline Brodie
Two dogs have fallen seriously ill after eating rubbish that was dumped and set alight at a Moray beauty spot.
Jeanette Thompson’s dogs, Ellie and Jake, have been receiving treatment for poisoning after their trip to Roseisle, near Elgin, on Sunday.
The animals ran straight over to a pile of charred rubbish, which had been discarded close to the car park, and ate some of the detritus before she could stop them.
Within an hour, labrador Jake and red setter Ellie were both suffering from sickness, seizures and spasms.
Her third dog Maisy, who did not swallow any of the rubbish, is fine.
The 40-year-old, from Elgin, said both dogs were being kept at the vets overnight and that Ellie had been heavily sedated.
Vets have also told her to “prepare for the worst” as they believe the dogs may have swallowed slug repellent.
She said: “All the symptoms they have had, the rumbling stomachs, the sickness, the spasms, and the seizures, are classic symptoms of slug pellet poisoning.
“It can cause catastrophic damage to the liver.
“Why would someone have that in their household waste?
“I don’t understand why anyone would go to a beauty spot, drive past the bins, and dump their rubbish at the side of the car park and set fire to it.
“I have had messages from three other people whose dogs have had seizures after walking at Roseisle on Saturday.”
Miss Thompson, who regularly walks at the area of coastal woodland, which is popular with dog walkers and other visitors, said she had alerted landowners Forestry Commission Scotland to the incident.
She also posted two heart-rending videos online showing Ellie and Jake having seizures in a bid to warn other pet owners of the danger.
The commission confirmed it had informed Police Scotland and had begun work to clear the rubbish.
Calum Murray, of Forest Enterprise Scotland said: “The dumping and setting fire to this household waste material was a very irresponsible and dangerous act by someone who clearly didn’t care what the consequences might be.
“Our forest ranger team have now inspected the site and started to clear up the mess.
“There must be around seven big bin bags worth of burnt rubbish to clear away.
“We are treating this anti-social behaviour very seriously and have reported it to the police.”
