Friday, May 9, 2025
Teesdale Mercury
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Teesdale Mercury
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT

Warning after dog is left ‘stoned’ after eating drug stash

by Nicky Carter
March 23, 2018
in News
Warning after dog is left ‘stoned’ after eating drug stash

WARNING: Jill Hirst and her Belgian Shepherd Kujo

A DOG owner has warned fellow canine-lovers to watch their pets closely after her Belgian shepherd was left “stoned by cannabis” .

Vet receptionist Jill Hirst was walking eight-year-old Kujo at the back of Bridge Street, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, when she lost sight of her beloved pooch.

When Ms Hirst found Kujo, he was eating a substance buried in a hole and became ill soon after. He was rushed to Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, to find out what was wrong and Ms Hirst was told Kujo had taken a “mind-altering substance” .

ADVERTISEMENT

She said: “We suspect it was probably cannabis – it was the day after the raid in Middleton and we suspect someone was spooked into stashing it.

“He wasn’t out of my sight for five minutes.” Kujo was sent home from the vets and Ms Hirst said he struggled to get up the stairs due to the effect of the mystery substance.

He was sick at 5am the following morning and vomited up a pile of “vegetation and grit” before slowly returning to normal. Ms Hirst added: “He is fine now but it’s not very nice seeing your dog stoned. I suspect someone thought they had a chance of being raided. We do get junkies hanging about on the river bank. We cannot say it was definitely cannabis but it was definitely a mind-altering substance.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Ms Hirst rang the police to report the suspected drugs.

In the meantime, she urged pet owners not to let their dogs out of their sight.

Kujo has not been the only canine to suffer the effects of substances left on the ground.

Two dogs were left with severe kidney problems after eating dried fruit spread on the old railway path from Mickleton to Romaldkirk a fortnight ago. The owner, who did not wish to be named, said the pair were rushed to Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, and have recovered since. But they are still on a special diet to cope with the after-effects.

The owner added: “So many people do not realise dried fruit is poisonous for dogs. I’d hate to think this would happen to someone else from not understanding this.”

Dried fruit is toxic for dogs and different breeds have highly variable tolerances to certain berries. The owner believed whoever spread the fruit did so without malice and was trying to feed birds.

A spokesman from the RSPB urged people not to spread dried fruit in public areas due to its toxic effect on both cats and dogs. He said pre-packed bird seed was a great alternative.

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Sleeping rough in sub-zero temperatures to raise awareness of youth homelessness

Next Post

Quartet bring jazz and blues to Middleton

ADVERTISEMENT
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Most popular

CLEANING UP: Josh Jenkins and Pauline Connelly look on as George O’Brien hands over the litter-picking equipment to Laura Drew

Anti-litterbugs gear up for work

May 8, 2025
SHARING ANTHEMS: The choir at St Mary’s Parish Church, Barnard Castle

Singing from the same song sheet

May 7, 2025
CELEBRATION: Peter and Anthony Donegan present an evening of stories and songs which pay homage to their dad, Lonnie

Celebrating the legacy of our dad, Lonnie

May 2, 2025
Barnard Castle and Bridge, from upstream, painted c1825 (Tate). Turner sketched the chapel in the centre of the bridge in 1797 and retained it in the finished watercolour over 20 years later, even though it had disappeared by his second visit in 1816

Turner in Teesdale, a birthday tribute

May 6, 2025
APPEAL: Cieran and Claire Chidzey are determined to make memories for their son Ryan who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Their most recent memory making event included a trip to London for the avid football fan to see Arsenal play Chelsea

Family must raise thousands for special wheelchair to keep poorly Ryan mobile

May 3, 2025
PAIN FREE: Emily Towler treating pet Labrador Maple to a session of laser therapy to ease pain of osteoarthritis

Emily’s mission to help pets in pain

May 9, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

15C Harmire Enterprise Park
Barnard Castle
Co Durham
DL12 8BN

Email: [email protected]

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190

VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • Art & Leisure
  • Business
  • Country Life
  • Features
  • News
  • Sport
  • Test Drive
  • Digital edition

Useful links

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Buy your paper
  • Photosales
  • Digital edition
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact

© 2024