WOKINGHAM’S dog warden has warned dog walkers to keep their pets in full view when walking in the borough.
It comes after concern spread on social media last week about a bag of food found discarded in woods near Simons Lane.
Dog walkers were worried the food could have been poisoned with the intent to harm dogs in the area.
Thames Valley Police confirmed it received a report about Simons Lane incident, which was passed to the neighbourhood team.
Nicholas Pringle, animal warden for West Berkshire and Wokingham borough advised owners to keep their dogs in full view when walking to be safe.
“Don’t let them wander off unseen into the undergrowth where they potentially could find and eat anything,” he said. “If your dog does become ill after walking somewhere take them straight to the vets.”
This was echoed by the RSPCA.
A spokesperson for the animal welfare charity said: “If a pet owner is concerned that their pet may have been poisoned, they should contact their vet immediately.
“If anyone suspects animals are being poisoned deliberately and has seen anything suspicious, they can contact us on 0300 1234 999, or the police on 101.”
They said signs of poisoning can include depression, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, appearing drunk and uncoordinated, twitching and seizures.
They added: “People should be careful when putting down any substances which are potentially poisonous to ensure that other animals are not affected — such as slug pellets — and substances are stored appropriately and properly disposed of, rather than dumping them on a roadside or in a park.”
Last June, Wokingham.Today reported on the sudden death of a pet Labrador.
At the time, there were multiple suspected dog poisonings in the Woodley and Earley area. But none of these were confirmed.
Anyone with information to call 101, quoting reference 43210068208.
For more help, visit: www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/poisoning