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To: Bedfordshire Police, the landowners, and Andrew Selous MP

Stop the Green Lanes/Totternhoe Knolls Dog Poisoning Incidents

Over the last year at least ten dogs have died or become seriously ill in this area under suspicious circumstances, some have confirmed to have been poisoned. We want signs put up around Green Lanes/Totternhoe Knolls area advising the public of the incidents and to seek veterinary help (and post mortems for any animals that die).

We want the police to fund post mortems for any pet dogs, badgers and foxes found dead in this area to ascertain which poisons are being used and how often incidents are happening. We want every local veterinary practice to be briefed and to be regularly providing the police with information on dogs poisoned after walking here.

We want the issue to be investigated and perpetrators found and prosecuted. At least one dog has been poisoned with strychnine which was banned as a pest control agent in 2006.

Why is this important?

Many local residents are worried by these incidents and many now feel unable to use this area (the largest accessible area of green space in North Dunstable) to exercise their dogs due to the risk. This will force more people to use other green spaces in Houghton Regis etc. It's not ideal in a pandemic to have to travel in the car to exercise dogs. There are at least ten dogs dead or very seriously ill in the last year (and possibly many more, as many people didn't realise the frequency of the issue until last summer).

We're deeply concerned by the ongoing nature of these incidents and worried about the safety of families and pets who use the area.
Dunstable, UK

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Updates

2021-02-13 10:01:51 +0000

We have hit 2000 signatures! The next phase of the campaign is starting today- we are crowdfunding a post-mortem fund to assist the investigation. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stopthepoison
In brief -
*To give clarity to grieving owners, the worried local community and to assist the police - we need evidence when dogs die in these suspicious circumstances.
*All money raised will be used to help owners fund post-mortems if their dogs die in circumstances we think are linked to other cases.
*The fund will be reviewed after a year, and if there has been no cases for six months, any leftover money will go to Appledown Dog Rescue at Eaton Bray. So either way your money will help dogs.
Please share and donate if you can.

2021-02-11 19:46:31 +0000

The petition is now at 1875 signatures. This week we have contacted Andrew Selous MP and are waiting for his response. We have also been featured on BBC Three Counties Radio to raise awareness of what is happening. (Link here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09579m7?fbclid=IwAR0q7RvoYS3LvHd0z6JTYjsADp35reBufxVdPALoPkWLLnTYMnZ0M6-wYJc - interview starts at 13 minutes in). There have also been two articles in Bedfordshire Live featuring the owners of Nanuk (29th January) and Freddie (spaniel who died 8th Feb). Next actions are to brief all the veterinary practices in the wider area. Our vets need to know about this issue and we will sending them posters and a briefing note to try to ensure all cases are reported to the police.

2021-02-07 23:18:29 +0000

Thank you everyone for signing - we have hit over 1000 signatures in 24 hours. There is now a
campaign on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/StopThePoison - please follow there. I will be contacting Andrew Selous MP this week and also the Wildlife Trust who manage the Totternhoe reserve have got in touch. More actions to follow!

2021-02-07 22:14:21 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2021-02-07 09:16:37 +0000

500 signatures reached

2021-02-06 20:28:09 +0000

100 signatures reached

2021-02-06 19:59:48 +0000

50 signatures reached

2021-02-06 19:43:18 +0000

25 signatures reached

2021-02-06 19:31:03 +0000

10 signatures reached