This article is from page 6 of the 2014-07-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
CLARE ISPCA officer Frank Coote has said he is concerned that a dangerous poison may have been laid along a popular public walkway in South East Clare.
Gardaí are looking into the matter after it emerged that a number of dogs died after ingesting Strychnine.
The dogs had been walking on the River Shannon canal bank near the villages of Clonlara, O’Briensbridge, Killaloe and Twomilegate towards the ESB power station at Ardncrusha. The walkway is owned by the ESB, who have rented the surrounding lands to farmers.
The potential presence of Strychnine along the walkway sparked fears locally that the pellets could be picked up and ingested by a child.
“It is a serious concern for a couple of reasons,” said Mr Coote,
“One of those reasons is that if you are putting down poison, it has to be pinned down. Animals can come along and eat it but if it’s a thing it is not pinned down properly, something like a blackbird could come along, pick it up the pellet and drop it in someone’s garden. And then you have the whole danger with children picking it up,” he explained.
Mr Coote said Strychnine is illegal but other forms of poison can be laid down providing the gardaí are first notified, warning signs notifying the public are erected and a notice is taken out in a local newspaper.
Warning signs have now been erected in the area and the ESB has written to farmers reminding them of their responsibilities. Gardaí are also looking into the matter.