A DOG owner has warned fellow canine-lovers to watch their pets closely after her Belgian shepherd was left “stoned by cannabis”.
Vet receptionist Jill Hirst was walking eight-year-old Kujo at the back of Bridge Street, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, when she lost sight of her beloved pooch.
When Ms Hirst found Kujo, he was eating a substance buried in a hole and became ill soon after. He was rushed to Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, to find out what was wrong and Ms Hirst was told Kujo had taken a “mind-altering substance”.
She said: “We suspect it was probably cannabis – it was the day after the raid in Middleton and we suspect someone was spooked into stashing it.
“He wasn’t out of my sight for five minutes.” Kujo was sent home from the vets and Ms Hirst said he struggled to get up the stairs due to the effect of the mystery substance.
He was sick at 5am the following morning and vomited up a pile of “vegetation and grit” before slowly returning to normal. Ms Hirst added: “He is fine now but it’s not very nice seeing your dog stoned. I suspect someone thought they had a chance of being raided. We do get junkies hanging about on the river bank. We cannot say it was definitely cannabis but it was definitely a mind-altering substance.”
Ms Hirst rang the police to report the suspected drugs.
In the meantime, she urged pet owners not to let their dogs out of their sight.
Kujo has not been the only canine to suffer the effects of substances left on the ground.
Two dogs were left with severe kidney problems after eating dried fruit spread on the old railway path from Mickleton to Romaldkirk a fortnight ago. The owner, who did not wish to be named, said the pair were rushed to Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, and have recovered since. But they are still on a special diet to cope with the after-effects.
The owner added: “So many people do not realise dried fruit is poisonous for dogs. I’d hate to think this would happen to someone else from not understanding this.”
Dried fruit is toxic for dogs and different breeds have highly variable tolerances to certain berries. The owner believed whoever spread the fruit did so without malice and was trying to feed birds.
A spokesman from the RSPB urged people not to spread dried fruit in public areas due to its toxic effect on both cats and dogs. He said pre-packed bird seed was a great alternative.
