RSPCA investigates dog poisoning after three deaths in regional WA
Three dogs have died and two others were poisoned in Carnarvon, Western Australia, prompting an RSPCA investigation into deliberate baiting that has left families devastated and calling for accountability.
PEOPLE & COMMUNITY
The RSPCA is investigating a series of malicious dog poisonings in Carnarvon, Western Australia, after five pets fell ill and three died in late August.
The incidents unfolded on two different streets in the Shire of Carnarvon, about 900km north of Perth, with three of the affected dogs on Morgan Way dying and two others surviving after emergency veterinary treatment. Stefan Louw, executive manager of the Shire of Carnarvon, confirmed the deaths and said the community was on high alert as authorities worked to identify who was behind the baiting.
Melinda Sattell, a Carnarvon dog owner, described the moment she realised her dog Phoenix had been poisoned in their own backyard. “She started foaming at the mouth, and at that moment, we realized, ‘she’s been baited,’” Ms Sattell said. On the way to the vet, Phoenix was barely conscious and the family was told she had only minutes to live. “It was devastating. Holding your best friend in your arms, knowing you might not be able to save them,” she said.
Ms Sattell said it was unfair to the dogs and families affected and especially hard to explain to children why their pet was suddenly so sick. “It’s unfair to the dogs and the families affected by this; it’s incredibly difficult to explain to a child why their dog is suddenly unwell and may not survive,” she said. The Sattell family believed Phoenix had found and eaten a poisoned sausage in the yard, with symptoms starting about 20 minutes after ingestion.
Coral Coast Veterinary Hospital in Carnarvon treated five pets from three households within 48 hours, all showing signs consistent with organophosphate poisoning. The clinic issued a social media warning urging residents to watch for excessive salivation, constricted pupils, trembling and diarrhoea, and to keep a close eye on what their dogs might pick up outside. Mr Louw echoed that advice, asking owners to keep dogs on leashes outdoors and be cautious about what they sniff or ingest from the ground.
The RSPCA has confirmed it is actively investigating the poisonings as a deliberate act of animal cruelty. For Phoenix’s family, the ordeal has carried a heavy emotional and financial toll, with veterinary bills of about $3,000 setting them back roughly six months. “I would never part with my pets unless I was in dire financial straits,” Ms Sattell said. “I’m just fortunate to have a steady job.”
Ms Sattell said if the person responsible is identified they should be made to repay all veterinary costs and compensate owners for the distress caused. Phoenix has since made a full recovery and is returning to long walks and burying bones, but the family no longer lets their dogs into the backyard unsupervised and keeps them on leashes at all times. “I once thought my backyard was a safe space for my dogs, but I’ve learned otherwise,” Ms Sattell said.
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