Police Investigate Possible Pet Poisonings

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) --- Police are stepping up patrols in response to possible pet poisonings in the Springdale area.

Police say they are investigating the deaths of a dog, a cat, and another dog that was sick but recovered.

They're not sure if the pets were actually poisoned or not.

Six-year-old "Garcia," a boxer, got sick and died last week.

His family says he was only left unattended outside on a leash in the front yard.

Debby Bukoskey's voice quivers when she talks about her family's dog.

"They did all kinds of lab work and blood work and he wasn't getting better, and they said bring him back in two or three weeks and he should get better, two days later he was dead. Then they got the toxicology report and he had high levels of toxins in his system," Debby Bukoskey said.

Police say the vet told them "Garcia" died from symptoms consistent with antifreeze poisoning but there's not definite proof.

"There were symptoms that are consistent with antifreeze poisoning however the dog suffered from other ailments, so there's no way to know for sure if it was antifreeze poisoning or not," officer Paul Perriello of the Springdale Police Department says.

There was also an earlier case after a dog got sick when someone apparently threw meatloaf with some sort of pill in it, over a fence. That dog survived.

Springdale Township is also investigating the death of a cat.

Some pet owners are putting up motion cameras hoping to catch someone if they enter their yard.

Officer Perriello says he does not believe someone is going around poisoning pets, and he believes the two incidents involving dogs are unrelated.

Some Facebook users claim there may be as many as five pets that have gotten sick.

Police say those others should come forward and file a report so they can investigate.

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