Warning after alarming find in Aussie park: 'What is wrong with people?'
After suspicious dog deaths in Sydney's eastern suburbs, one woman wanted to warn others about 'something sinister'.
Concerns about dog baiting are growing in Sydney's eastern suburbs after another potential incident was discovered in Bondi on Friday.
Earlier this month, at least three dogs were said to have died after visiting Marks Park in Tamarama after allegedly "eating something", and although baiting was suspected, Waverly council ultimately said it could not be confirmed.
Alerting locals on social media on Friday, one woman said she was at Thomas Hogan Reserve in Bondi when she spotted something unusual on the ground. Fearing it was something "sinister" she shared photos on Facebook and warned pet owners to "be vigilant".
"After what happened at Marks Park, I’m worried this could be dog bait. I’ve shown several vets but no one has any idea what it could be," she claimed. "I picked it up and put it in the bin so no other dog could get hold of it."
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The woman admitted she had "never seen anything like it" and at first said she thought it was a chicken breast. But when she saw "all the green stuff inside it" she grew concerned.
"Hopefully it’s something natural and innocent but there are some horrible people out there," she said. She also claimed she had reported the discovery to Waverly Council.
Council aware of baiting concerns
Following the woman's report, a Waverly Council spokesperson confirmed "rangers inspected the park immediately and are continuing to speak with dog owners and vets."
Despite such fears, Yahoo News Australia was told there have been no confirmed cases of dog baiting in the area and no direct reports of animals deaths in recent weeks — but dog owners are being told to be careful. After the Marks Park incident, a council spokesperson confirmed "dog-baiting is not a common problem in Waverley" but said it is "devastating" when it does occur.
The post was well received by other community members who thanked the woman for "keeping our doggies safe".
"What is wrong with people?" one person fumed at the thought of a deliberate attack on animals. "Why would people do that?" another questioned.
One Facebook user described it as "just horrifying" while one person said; "This looks like a cows [sic] testicle filled with bait".
If you have any information, Waverly Council urges residents to contact them on 9083 8000 or lodge a request on their website, or the Snap Send Solve app.
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