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.
Dogs playing at park.
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.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.