ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — Animal fat laced with drugs is popping up at one dog park in Ormond Beach, investigators said.
Deputies are working to figure out who’s been leaving it there.
A woman said her dog ate one of the pieces at the Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park on Ocean Shore Boulevard and now her dog is suffering from kidney damage.
Teresa Downey and her lab mix, Brody, are regulars at the park, but now she has to be extra careful at the popular beachside spot for canines.
She saw the raw meat with over-the-counter drugs for humans stuffed inside.
“It had like streaks in it, so I just started poking at it and sure enough it had five pills of what looked, to me, like ibuprofen,” she said.
Another dog owner called deputies, who took pictures of the meat.
According to reports, it was ibuprofen inside, which experts said is toxic for dogs.
Downey found several pieces dropped around the dog park and deputies aren’t sure how many dogs ate them.
“You hear about people putting, I mean, from when we were kids, razor blades in apples or poisoning candy for children. I mean, it's just as bad. It's attacking the innocent,” she said.
Downey grabbed the meat and discovered the pills before her dog could get to it, but other dogs got to it before she did, causing one to become seriously ill.
Janine Kosek’s dog ate the poisonous meat and could have permanent kidney damage, if he survives.
The news has other dog owners on high alert.
“I sure hope they don’t do it again. I hope it’s not a serial thing and they continue to harm dogs,” said parkgoer Jean Marc.
A warning sign for dog owners was placed in the park about the meat, symptoms and what people should do if they think their dog was poisoned.
So far, deputies do not have any suspects.