Five dogs are in emergency care at a Co Down vet after consuming toxic food scattered around Hillsborough Forest Park.
The items include piles of chocolate, grapes, raisins, prunes and chocolate biscuits, all of which can be deadly for dogs if eaten in large enough quantities.
Three of the five dogs work with volunteer K9 Search and Rescue teams helping locate and bring to safety, vulnerable or injured people, and their work has included helping locate a woman trapped under a collapsed building in Turkey.
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One distraught owner contact DogsLive to ask for other dog walkers to be warned about the issue.
She said: "Please let people know about the dangers of walking their dogs in Hillsborough Forest Park. Someone has left piles and piles of chocolate, grapes, prunes, raisins and nuts on the trails around the forest.
"My dog and my friend's four dogs have eaten some and are currently at the Cromlyn Vets to induce vomiting to try to get the toxins out of their system. Three of the dogs are search and rescue dogs."
A number of parks and commons popular with dog walkers have been targeted recently by people leaving toxic substances such as rat poison down. But purposely depositing piles of food such as chocolate, grapes and raisins, all commonly known to be potentially deadly to dogs, may be a new approach.
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