An animal welfare group is issuing a Facebook warning after a Repentigny dog had to undergo surgery when she swallowed a needle the owner says was in food that was thrown into their yard.
"I am furious," said Nathalie Lacroix.
"If someone could target pets like this, would they go after children next?"
Nathalie Lacroix
Lacroix said her eight-month-old dog Nova was left alone in the yard for a few moments and started vomiting and having spasms afterwards.Lacroix said she believes Nova ate food containing the needle that was tossed in the yard on purpose. Lacroix said it may have been some kind of sausage or other meat.
"The vets did not think it was an accident," said Cathy, a spokesperson for local animal welfare group GIPAC Q. She did not wish to give her real name for fear of reprisals.
Lacroix decided to get x-rays and that's how they discovered the needle, which had perforated Nova's stomach.
"Her dog almost died," said Cathy.
"They decided to pay for an x-ray and it saved their dog."
Nathalie Lacroix
Lacroix said she doesn't keep such needles in the house.
The German Shepherd-Husky mix is slowly recovering after surgery and nine hours of being anesthetized.
GIPAC Q said vets have reported three other similar cases in the neighbourhood. Lacroix reported this fourth one to police.
The animal welfare group advises pet owners to check their yards for foreign substances, not to leave their pets alone in the yard and to keep an eye out for worriesome symptoms in their pets..
"The person who does that really has bad intentions of killing the people`s pet in the neighbourhood so we have to be very careful."
Nathalie Lacroix