Worried dog owners report '˜man dropping pieces of chicken laced with rat poison' in Sheffield

Concerned Sheffield residents have issued a warning to dog owners about a man '˜dropping pieces of chicken and cheese laced with rat poison'.Â
Woods in Sheffield - Google MapsWoods in Sheffield - Google Maps
Woods in Sheffield - Google Maps

A post on Facebook, which has been shared hundreds of times, has warned that the man is dropping the poisoned food around the Bowden Houstead woods. 

The post read: 'I've been informed today that apparently there is a man going around Bowden Houstead woods throwing down pieces of chicken & cheese laced with rat poison &/or lead pellets for dogs to eat.

Woods in Sheffield - Google MapsWoods in Sheffield - Google Maps
Woods in Sheffield - Google Maps
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'I don't know who this man is but the info has come from a lady who unfortunately had to have her dog put to sleep after eating some of this food, please be careful people.'

The warning has prompted angry responses from residents in the Handsworth, with one resident stating '˜there are some cruel people about'.

In December, dog owners were warned to stay vigilant after poisonous pellets were found in a block of cheese. 

Nicole Hawley was walking her dog in Bolsterstone, Stocksbridge, when she discovered small blocks of cheese in a field. 

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However, on closer inspection, Nicole realised that the blocks of cheese contained blue pellets. 

Blue pellets, or slug pellets, are used to protect crops from slugs and snails. 

But they can also have a deadly consequences for dogs with vets warning it can take just four hours for the poison to take effect. 

Emergency animal care company Vets Now said that pets who have eaten the pellets should be seen by a vet urgently as only rapid treatment can save their life. 

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Dave Leicester, head of clinical intelligence at Vets Now said: 'The active ingredient in most forms of slug pellets, metaldehyde, is highly toxic to both dogs and cats, and even very small amounts, if ingested, can lead to fatal clinical signs which progress very rapidly.

'If an owner thinks their pet has eaten any amount of slug pellets, no matter how small, they should contact their veterinary practice without delay, as clinical signs can start in as little as 30 minutes.

'Owners should be alert to the early signs such as nausea, drooling, wobbliness and lack of coordination, which can progress rapidly to tremors and seizures and I recommend all pet owners to thoroughly wipe down their pet's paws and muzzles after a walk.' Â