Dog ‘violently ill’ after suspected poisoning at Kelowna dog park

Kelowna RCMP are looking for a woman who set out water at a local dog park after a dog became sick and sluggish this past weekend.

The owner of the Burmese-poodle mix said their dog drank from water bowls at the Mission Dog Park on Sunday, Feb. 19, and became "violently ill" on the way home, according to a Kelowna RCMP news release.

The dog was "sluggish" the next day and blood work later confirmed a high level of "toxins," along with kidney damage, RCMP said.

Police said the owner saw a "heavier set" Caucasian woman, between 50 and 60 years old, filling water bowls at the park.

She had brown or red hair, and she was wearing a blue toque, brown jacket, brown boots and drown plastic sunglasses, RCMP said. She did not have a dog with her and police say she is a "person of interest."

"The owner has asked the RCMP to help alert the public of a potential poisoning event, and to encourage owners to get their dogs to a veterinarian if their pets are experiencing similar symptoms," the Kelowna RCMP news release reads.

The dog bowls have been removed from the park.

If any members of the public have information or camera footage which may assist this investigation, contact Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference the file number 2023-9797.

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