Dog owner warns about poisonous pesticides
Critter Tails

Two weeks ago, our family suffered a tragedy with the loss of our beloved dog, Jake. It was a warm Sunday afternoon, the first one of the season. We had a few hours for gardening and proceeded to fertilize the roses. First went the bone meal, then the fertilizer pellets, then the mulch on top.

We didn't see Jake, who loved to bury bones, sniffing or licking the bone meal, or ingesting the fertilizer. The next day he vomited and got sick and before we realized it, he died.

When we took him to the emergency hospital, a dog was coming out from having his stomach pumped from eating snail pellets. The nurse told us that this happens frequently this time of year. If only we had known.

We're telling everyone to be careful. There are more appropriate solutions in the garden such as lady bugs for aphids instead of toxic poisons. Use liquids such as Miracle Grow that are readily absorbed.

A little research would go a long way. For more information, call the Pet Poison Helpline, a 24hour service, at (800) 213-6680. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has information about pet poisoning on its website at www.aspca.org.

We experienced a terrible tragedy and are still in mourning. We hope to help someone avoid this unnecessary tragedy.

This story was submitted by the DeVries family of Westlake Village: Lorita, Pieter, Douglas and Chris.