Dog Fatally Poisoned by ‘Sick individual’ Throwing Toxic Bread into Yards

Police in Altoona, Pennsylvania have issued a warning to pet parents in the area after learning that someone has deliberately been throwing items into yards to poison pets, and at least one dog has died.

According to WTAJ, residents reported that the individual soaked pieces of bread in antifreeze and scattered them around the neighborhood. Matthew Stachmus, a veterinarian at the Pleasant Valley Animal Clinic, told WTAJ that he learned from a neighbor that a dog passed away at an emergency vet clinic after consuming one of the toxic items. 

“It seems that, whoever this individual is, is just randomly poisoning dogs, which makes it even more difficult because people aren’t suspecting that the dog’s going to have access to this toxin, since it seems haphazard,” Stachmus said. “You have to be very vigilant because they’ll see something sometimes before we do, and they don’t think twice about ingesting it.”

It’s particularly sinister because while ethylene glycol, the chemical used as antifreeze, can be sweet, pets do not willingly ingest it. “In this particular situation, they were enticing the animal to eat it with the bread,” veterinarian Brad Kissell told the Altoona Mirror.

“Dogs and cats don’t willingly drink it if there are non-contaminated sources,” Kissell said. “In this particular situation, they were enticing the animal to eat it with the bread.”

The Altoona Police Department posted an announcement on Facebook. They estimate that the unknown individual has been throwing the poisoned bread for several days and maybe even a week in the Fairview area. In addition to warning pet parents, they also urge anyone with any information to come forward so that they can catch the criminal. 

“Please be aware of items that may be on your property that are foreign and hazardous. Secondly, please check your cameras for anyone suspicious that would be doing this,” the post reads. “Please share this and spread the word so we can catch and hold this sick individual accountable.”

Altoona resident Tammy Perkins told the Altoona Mirror that her dog Winnie, a 3-year-old Rottweiler, tested positive for antifreeze poisoning. 

“My son alerted me that his friend’s dog was poisoned this past weekend in the Fairview area,” Perkins said. “I didn’t think much of it, but when Winnie woke me up at 4 a.m. throwing up, I started to worry.”

She immediately contacted her veterinarian and alerted him about the poisoning. Winnie is on the road to recovery at the vet, receiving an IV treatment every four hours. 

“I cannot wrap my head around the fact that people could do this,” Perkins said.

Stachmus told WTAJ that if you believe your pet has ingested something suspicious, you should try and induce vomiting and seek urgent medical attention. PetMD says that some signs of antifreeze poisoning in dogs include vomiting, lethargy, inability to stand, increased drinking and urination, and wobbly walking. These symptoms can appear within hours. If more than 12 hours have passed, the symptoms may escalate into tremors, seizures, panting, no urination, and even a coma. In cats, the symptoms are similar, but they escalate much quicker. 

The Altoona Police Department urges anyone with any information about these terrible crimes to call 814-949-2499 and speak with Animal Control Office Williams. You can also reach out to the police department on Facebook.

Under Pennsylvania law, the intentional poisoning of animals is only classified as a misdemeanor with a penalty of $2,000 in fines or up to two years in prison. However, repeat offenders may face felony charges.