A Rhode Island senior dog rescue found at least seven chunks of rat poison scattered on their fences. Vintage Pet Rescue, a non-profit organization in Foster that helps senior dogs find loving homes, claimed the “weird and unnerving” incident left them “horrified.” During the ordeal at the rescue, the owners found a young puppy named Bug chewing on something that resembled the poison. A subsequent trip to a veterinarian saved his life.
Senior dog rescue saves pup’s life after finding rat poison in backyard
Vintage Pet Rescue founder Kristen Peralta exclusively spoke to People Magazine regarding the rat poison situation at their senior dog rescue. Peralta stated they found pieces of bright red rat poison scattered across the compound’s fences on July 29. She found the first piece that morning while “on the way to bring four dogs to the vet.” By then, the rescue, housing 32 dogs, had led all the furry friends outside in the fenced yards. She then explained that the substance had a “Play-Doh-like texture.”
Kristen Peralta said, “We have a volunteer who comes in the morning to let the dogs out in the backyard. I think it was right around 10:00 a.m. I saw this chunk outside the front door, just a weird red thing on our fence. And I was just like, ‘What is that?'” She added, “I had no idea what it was, and I just threw it out.”
The senior dog rescue then found a second piece of the same substance and shortly after, learned it was rat poison. The second piece still had the wrapper around it. Peralta claimed, “Half an hour later, I went to the other gate to grab dogs to go to the vet, and that’s when I noticed the second piece that actually had the label on it. At that point, I looked and saw it said right on it that it was rat poison.”
Kristen Peralta revealed how she soon found “three other big chunks” after a quick search of the rescue’s compound of rat poison nearby. Someone had placed all these pieces of rat poison on top of the rescue’s fences. Meanwhile, Peralta’s husband, who runs the Vintage Pet Rescue with her, found a five-year-old puppy, Bug, chewing on a piece.
The husband rushed Bug to a veterinarian and they reached about 45 minutes after the puppy consumed the poison. There, with the veterinarian’s assistance, the five-year-old vomited the rat poison and started immediate medication for full recovery.
Back at the Vintage Pet Rescue, Kristen Peralta and a volunteer continued the search for more poison. She said they “found seven big chunks” in total which were “all put on top of our fences.”
Peralta, petrified by the incident, believes it was a “threat” because “they put it [the rat poison] on top of the fences.” She exclaimed, “If they really wanted to hurt the dogs, they would’ve just thrown it over the fence into the grass.” Peralta added how they “never would’ve seen” the poison had it been in the grass. There, the rescue dogs “would’ve eaten it [the rat poison] without us knowing it was out there.”
As for Bug’s present situation, the senior dog rescue gave an update, claiming he is “doing great.” The founder shared, “Luckily, he’s one of our younger, healthier dogs. If this had happened to one of our dogs in kidney failure or liver failure, it could have killed them.”
Kristen Peralta also explained that they had “Bcameras outside our gates.” In addition, she said, “Unfortunately, they weren’t set to record. They were just the live view.” Following the unfortunate and cruel ordeal, the senior dog rescue did not have video footage to help authorities in an investigation. However, they have since installed six outdoor recording cameras, motion sensors, and floodlights.
Members of the organization claim they are now more aware of their surroundings and are taking proper precautions.
