'Poison' spread around Bondi area actually snail bait, council clarifies
Fears of dog baiting around Sydney's eastern suburbs have been alleviated after Waverley Council revealed the poison was in fact intended to repel snails.
Worried locals had taken to social media to post images of the bait - small green cylindrical pellets - concerned that rat poison had been spread in the area.
"Warning: Please be aware and cautious of rat bait in various locations in Bondi and Hunter Park," one concerned local woman wrote.
"Our puppy Toffee was rushed to the vet this morning to have her induced."
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Worried locals had taken to social media to post images of the bait. Facebook
But a spokesperson for the council clarified to 9news.com.au the pellets were actually snail bait and have since been removed by officers.
"At around 9am on Wednesday 20 July, Waverley Council Rangers were alerted to possible rat baiting in Hunter Park, Bondi Beach," the spokesperson said.
"Eight Council Officers attended the site at 9.15am and removed what turned out to be snail bait that was spread from the top of Hunter Park down into Notts Avenue.
"Snail bait was also removed by Council Officers in South Bondi Park later that afternoon.
"Our team have since mowed and snipped the parks to uncover any other baits that may have been left behind."
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Fears of dog baiting around Sydney's eastern suburbs have been eased. Raine & Horne Double Bay
Rangers have checked with a local vet who had examined a number of dogs thought by owners to have eaten the bait.
"The dogs were not showing any symptoms of having ingested the baits and the vet confirmed that a bait sample collected by Council Officers was in fact snail bait," the spokesperson said.
"Dog-baiting is not a common problem in Waverley but can be devastating when it occurs.
"We ask anyone with information to contact us on 9083 8000 or lodge a request on our website, or via the Snap Send Solve app."
Locals are urged to contact council should they suspect any dog baiting taking place in the area.
Reports circulating on social media earlier in the year about suspected dog baiting in Marks Park, Tamarama, "could never be confirmed by local vets or Council" and "no owners came forward to report their animal was unwell".
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