Zhanta, a four year old Rhodesian Ridgeback ingested rat poison wrapped in bacon, the latest in a string of animal poisonings in the region. (submitted/Eric Sarno)

By Alex Rawnsley

dog poisoning

‘I have no explanation on the severity of this evil:’ Nanaimo dog escapes close call with bacon-wrapped poison

Jun 26, 2020 | 4:14 PM

NANAIMO — A local dog owner is concerned for the safety of his pet after a close-call and string of similar potential poisonings in the region.

Eric Sarno noticed his four-year-old dog Zhanta was acting strangely during a visit to a friends house near McGirr Elementary on Tuesday, June 23.

Sarno said his dog appeared to eat something in the backyard around 9:30 a.m. When she went out again few hours later, he discovered Zhanta in some bushes eating a block of what was later identified as rat poison, wrapped in bacon.

“I have no explanation on the severity of this evil. I have no words that could describe…who could do something this evil,” Sarno said.

Sarno was able to fish most of the poison out of her mouth and reported the incident to Nanaimo RCMP.

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A spokesperson told NanaimoNewsNOW no similar incidents in the city were brought to their attention.

Zhanta’s situation occurred on the same day Oceanside RCMP reported a string of possible dog poisonings in Parksville where pills were stuffed into hot dogs.

“I smelled the bacon and it smelt like it had been cooked that morning,” Sarno said. “I figured if the bacon had been there for any amount of time, bugs or birds would have gotten to it. It was either put out there late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.”

Zhanta was taken to the vet Tuesday afternoon and was treated for rat poisoning. She is currently recovering at home.

The vet bill was around $1,100 with more to come from medications to treat any lingering effects.

Deliberate poisoning of dogs or cats is not common according to the Nanaimo SPCA.

Branch manager Leon Davis said it’s possible whoever left the poison wasn’t going after dogs.

“Rat poison can cause mass hemorrhaging, that’s how it dispatches rats and that would work in any animal and people,” Davis said. “If people are targeting wildlife like this, which is not legal to do, they also might end up catching someone’s pet.”

Davis added solving these cases is often difficult as there is very little evidence to go off. He said keeping an active watch in your neighbourhood is the best way to deter these sorts of incidents.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley