Ipswich Borough Council is appealing for information from the public regarding any suspected animal poisonings in its parks and open spaces.
A number of incidents of suspected dog poisoning have been reported by owners on social media and the Council takes reports like this very seriously. We would encourage anyone who thinks their dog might have been poisoned to seek immediate veterinary advice, report it to us and to the police. By reporting the specific area of the park and when the suspected poisoning took place, an immediate investigation can be launched.
The Council’s parks team has already increased patrols to look for anything suspicious, but have not yet found anything. The Council is in contact with the local vets in the area and they have been asked to report the details of any incidents or concerns to the Council direct to allow immediate investigation.
We encourage dog walkers to remain vigilant, to keep pets under control, within sight and to keep their pet on a lead if they believe it may be likely to pick up suspicious items.
Hannah Leys, Assistant Director of Operations at Ipswich Borough Council says:
“We are very sorry to hear of these incidents in Ipswich and we want to reassure the public that the Council is taking these reports very seriously.
“We want our parks and open spaces to be enjoyed safely by everybody and we can assure residents that the Council along with other agencies are investigating these incidents of suspected poisoning.
“We share the concerns of dog owners and our parks team have been carrying out extra patrols and extending their checks to safeguard all our park visitors. They are also working with other teams within the Council and external agencies to monitor anything which may provide further information.
Our advice to dog walkers visiting our parks is to keep your pet close by and under control, and we’re asking everyone to remain vigilant of anything suspicious. If you have reason to think your dog might have been purposely poisoned, seek immediate veterinary advice, report it to us and to the police.”
Anyone with information or who sees something suspicious is urged to speak to parks staff or to contact the police on 101.
The public can also get in contact with the Council’s Park Protection Team on 07736 826067 or by emailing: ParkServices@ipswich.gov.uk to report concerns.
