Dog owners warned over poison meat found in parks

Police have issued a warning after suspected poisoned meat was found in two west London green spaces, leaving animals seriously ill and dead.

The Metropolitan Police said chicken which is believed to have contained toxins had been discovered in both Holland Park and Brompton Cemetery over several days.

A dog was reported to have eaten some of the meat and subsequently became "very unwell", while two foxes were found dead with no obvious signs of injury.

Officers believe the meat may have been deliberately placed to harm animals, either targeting foxes or dogs.

Professional dog walker Kris Sikora said this kind of activity was not unheard of.

"In this case, it's poison meat," he said. "Before we've had toys that have been left around that have been poisoned. The worst one that really shocked me was razor blades being left in tennis balls."

Dog owners are being urged to remain vigilant and prevent pets from scavenging while in the area. In Brompton Cemetery, police have reminded the public that dogs should be kept on leads at all times.

One woman walking her dog in Holland Park told BBC London: "I'm totally disgusted. I can't even imagine why anyone would do that."

Another dog walker said: "It's absolutely horrendous. I'm not sure if someone's doing it for a spiteful reason.

"It will stop people coming to the park with their dogs."

Sikora advised dog owners to "take all the necessary steps" if they see their dog eat something unknown and take them to the vets to be checked out.

"The best advice I can give is to just stay vas vigilant as possible," he added.

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