Support Our Dogs After Rat Poison Scare

For those who don’t want to read the long version:

The short story is that I attended a doggie Play Day event, and all three of my dogs accidentally consumed rat poison while there. It was truly no one’s fault. Fortunately—and unfortunately—my dogs were the only ones exposed.

They were rushed to Loomis Basin, treated quickly, and thankfully have shown no lasting effects. However, as many pet owners know, emergency after-hours care is incredibly expensive. The bill ended up being over $1,400.

The Full Story

As everyone knows, no one lives in a vacuum—and for us, the emergency vet trip with our dogs was the last straw for the month of June.

After several career shifts in our household, we’ve found ourselves in an incredibly difficult financial situation. I’ve already reached out to family, but no one is in a position to help us right now. I’m selling what I can here at home, but there’s only so much to let go of. I’m a full-time caretaker for both of my parents, who are ill, and my daughter is navigating significant learning disabilities, making school a constant struggle. Supporting her has required both of us to miss work, and we haven’t been able to get her into any summer programs due to her vulnerabilities. Because of that, getting a second job or working nights just isn’t an option.

On top of this, our own medical bills aren’t covered well by insurance, and with my husband working long hours trying to keep us afloat, the weight of everything has added up. Over the past year, we’ve relied on help from family when we could—but that help is no longer available. So now, I’m reaching out to the wider community for support.

What Happened

On the evening of June 30th, I took my daughter and our three dogs to a doggie Play Day at a friend’s home. This is one of the few places my anxious dog, Mirage, feels truly safe. It’s a small working farm with a fenced yard, green grass, a creek, sprinklers—everything both kids and dogs could enjoy. It’s usually a peaceful little haven.

While playing with my daughter in the sprinklers, my three dogs managed to find the one dangerous thing on the entire property: rat poison.

Phantom, who typically wears a racing muzzle for outings, and Hornet consumed most of the poison that was found. Mirage, with her more refined tastes, only took a few nibbles. Thankfully, I had just finished playing and was walking the property with them when I saw what they had pulled out and eaten. I immediately loaded them into the car and drove straight from this rural property to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic.

Within two hours, all three dogs had been treated. The vets strongly believe that, because of how quickly we acted, very little (if any) of the poison was actually metabolized. I don’t remember the exact time we arrived at Loomis, but I left at 12:30 a.m. with three very tired pups—and a heart full of both fear and relief.

My daughter, thankfully, stayed safe at the property with a trusted friend. She didn’t have to witness the chaos at the vet clinic and was spared the full emotional weight of the situation. Instead, she had what she described as “the best night ever”—eating ice cream, watching cartoons, and playing with our friend’s two dogs (who were not exposed to the poison). My friend stepped up in a way I can never fully thank her for, especially since she hasn’t spent much alone time with my daughter before.

Meet Our Dogs

Phantom is our 11-year-old male Saluki. He came to us from a breeder to help bring valuable genetics to the U.S. and has been part of our family since he was 4 months old. He’s strong-willed and full of personality—the kind of dog who once broke out to face off with a bear, despite weighing just 45 lbs. He’s also surprisingly gentle, especially with Mirage and Hornet, and has spent the last 9 years letting our daughter Amelia use him as a pillow while reading, playing, or watching TV.

Mirage is our 4-year-old female Saluki, and in many ways, she is a rescue. She was given to us after suffering trauma as a puppy, including an attack by wild dogs that left her physically and emotionally scarred. She’s timid, sensitive, and deeply loved. My daughter and husband still lovingly argue about who she really belongs to—Mirage picked my husband at the breeder’s house, but it’s my daughter who feeds her, walks her, and sleeps beside her every night.

Hornet is the youngest, turning two this December. She’s the wild child—playful, fearless, and incredibly social. She’s the daughter of Phantom and Mirage, born as part of a genetic preservation project for the breed. Two potential homes fell through, and by that point, we knew we couldn’t let her go. If you live in Grass Valley, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Hornet out and about with me and my daughter—she’s hard to miss.