Anthony, NM, Dogs Dying From Mysterious Toxin

Tom Talbot has watched five of his dogs suffer from a mysterious toxin over the past few weeks, and two of the dogs died.

Talbot suspects someone may be intentionally poisoning the animals.

“When a pack of dogs gets running around they can get into trouble killing actual livestock. So legally people have a right if they run on their land to shoot them, but poisoning animals is another story,” Talbot told ABC-7.

Talbot takes in stray dogs from around his home. He spays or neuters them and feeds them until he can find someone to adopt them. He said he’s cared for more than 15 dogs.

“I’ve lived here for more than 30 years. I’ve seen a dog get shot, but I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Talbot said.

Investigators from the Animal Cruelty Task Force of the Doa Ana County Sheriff’s Department have been looking into the situation. After inspecting Talbot’s home and nearby areas, investigators have not been able to find the toxin that is causing the problem. They said they’re at a standstill right now.

Talbot’s veterinarian took blood and urine samples from one of the affected dogs. Investigators said they can’t run any tests to confirm what kind of poison it is until they have more concrete possibilities. Talbot says it could be sodium fluoroacetate, a rodent pesticide that was used in the 1940s. Some farmers use it nowadays to kill coyotes that wander into their crops. However, investigators said they confirmed with the Bureau of Land Management that no nearby farms are using that poison.

Talbot said he’s racked up nearly $3,000 in emergency vet bills to help his dogs recover. He told ABC-7 it’s been a struggle to scrounge up the funds, but at this point, he just wants to see all of his dogs healthy. He also hopes to find them permanent homes.

“It just breaks my heart. To see an animal suffering is the worst thing for me. I can’t stand to see an animal suffer. I don’t eat animals. I don’t kill animals,” Talbot said.

The Animal Cruelty Task Force’s veterinarian Dr. Patricia Freeser offers the following advice in case of pet poisoning emergencies:

? Take your animal to a veterinarian immediately. Both Las Cruces and El Paso have emergency vet clinics with after-hours care.

? Inform the veterinary clinic you suspect poisoning so they can run appropriate laboratory tests and collect any evidence. The animal owner will need to authorize the veterinarian to release the information to law enforcement.

? Secure the area in which the animal was present so that no other animal is exposed to potential poison sources, including tainted food, treats, deceased rodents, vomit, etc.

? Once the animal has been transported to the veterinary clinic, have the clinic preserve any vomit or suspicious material, for subsequent delivery to law enforcement. ? Have all copies of your pet?s medical records available for review.

Pet owners should also contact Doa Ana County Animal Control (575) 526-0795 to report all suspected poisoning cases.