A Substance Spread In A Toronto Park Leaves Several Dogs With 'Pneumonia-Like' Symptoms
Police have handed the substance over to the explosive disposal unit.
Toronto Police Service (TPS) is investigating reports of someone spreading a substance in a Toronto park, causing dogs to get sick.
TPS told Narcity that they received a report on July 26 from a resident in the area of Summerland Terrace that an individual had put "crushed chemicals" in a dog park by their apartment.
The resident said their dog had been sick for a couple of days and had a cough.
According to a tweet, TPS went to check out the park on July 26 in Etobicoke at Summerland Terrace and Dundas Street West with the Hazmat Unit.
SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT:
Summerland Ter + Dundas St W
* 4:33 pm *
- Someone seen spreading chemicals on the grass
- Reports that a number of dogs are sick
- Fire Crews (Hazmat Unit) attending
- Animal Services will be notified
-* Caution of pet owners in the area *#GO1432047
^dh pic.twitter.com/F2C8P74xDN
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) July 26, 2022
On scene, officers were directed to an area of the park where they found "crushed particles of a white-gray powder-like substance."
While they were at the park, three additional dog owners approached the officers and said their dogs had also gotten sick with "a cough and pneumonia-like symptoms."
TPS has sent a sample of the substance off to their explosive disposal unit for further testing, and while the results have yet to come back, they believe it is a "salt substitute."
No suspects have been identified yet, but police are asking anyone with information to come forward and contact them.