Dogs rushed to vet after two marijuana poisonings in one day at Brisbane dog park

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October 14, 2023


Susan Starr says she thought her dog Violet was dying. (ABC Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

Susan Starr says she thought her dog Violet was dying. (ABC Brisbane: Kenji Sato)© Provided by ABC News (Brisbane)

Violet the dog was left vomiting, urinating, and struggling to breathe after eating marijuana that had been left at a Brisbane park.

The 10-month-old kelpie was one of two dogs with marijuana toxicity rushed to an emergency veterinary facility in Stafford on Saturday in the span of just one hour.

Her owner Susan Starr said that 20 minutes after returning from the Northgate Reserve Dog Park, Violet collapsed on the couch, eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"We thought she was dying," Ms Starr said.

"At the vet, her bladder let go, all her movements were jerky, and we had no idea what was going on."

Testing showed THC in Violet's blood, a chemical compound that causes a psychoactive high in humans and violent sickness in dogs.

A neighbour's dog that was taken to the vet an hour later also tested positive for THC.

Ms Starr said she still had no idea why somebody had left weed at her local dog park.

"I burst into tears. I thought: 'How? How could this be?'" she said.

"I was quite shocked; everyone's seen the videos of cats on highs but I had no idea whatsoever that it's so dangerous for animals."

Violet returned from the vet the next day in good health, albeit a little woozy while coming down from her dangerous high.

Ms Starr said the ordeal came with a $950 vet bill, but she was just glad to see Violet alive.

A Brisbane City Council spokesperson said they had searched the Northgate Reserve Dog Park, but had been unable to find any remaining traces of marijuana.

In separate poisoning incidents, the most recent in July, several dogs had been rushed to the vet after poisoned pellets were left at a Chapel Hill dog park.

The council's civic cabinet chair for city standards Kim Marx said a security camera had been installed at the Merri Merri dog park in response to repeated dog baiting reports.

"Dogs are much-loved family members and the thought of someone trying to deliberately hurt our animals is one we take extremely seriously," Ms Marx said.

"We will continue working with Queensland Police and the RSPCA as they investigate these incidents."

It is the first security camera in an off-leash dog park installed by Brisbane City Council.

Dog park cameras have already been installed in Logan, Gold Coast, and Ipswich, which have also received several reports of dog baiting.