Betsy, Koda, Rocko and Friends Vet Bill Appeal

Five dogs, three of them part of a search and rescue team, have had to have emergency veterinary care after eating items toxic to dogs in a forest park.

The dogs - three rescue dogs and two family pets - were being walked in Hillsborough Forest Park on Friday.

All the dogs are in emergency care at a Co Down vet after consuming the toxic food scattered around Hillsborough Forest Park.

The items include piles of chocolate, grapes, raisins, prunes and chocolate biscuits, all of which can be deadly for dogs if eaten in large enough quantities.

Three of the five dogs work with volunteer K9 Search and Rescue. helping locate and bring to safety, vulnerable or injured people, and their work has included helping locate a woman trapped under a collapsed building in Turkey.

A number of parks and commons popular with dog walkers have been targeted recently by people leaving toxic substances such as rat poison down. But purposely depositing piles of food such as chocolate, grapes and raisins, all commonly known to be potentially deadly to dogs, may be a new approach.

We hope to help raise funds to cover at least some of the veterinary bill related to this incident as dog lovers and dog handlers they should not have to face this alone

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