Jasmine and Ashley Bencke enjoy taking their dog Nella for walks on a National Capital Commission Trail off of Revelstoke and Kamloops.
"It's a nice place. It's right on the water," Jasmine says.
But the sisters are now cautious after seeing a sign about a dog dying from rat poisoning.
"I don't know if I can trust coming back here, because I wouldn't want to risk it," Jasmine adds.
Origin of sign unknown
It's not known who put up the sign, or even if it's true.
"For anyone who has any information about this poster about any other poisoning situation, they should call the police right away," says Coun. Maria McRae.
Police are now investigating this sign, and reports that a dog almost died after ingesting rat poisoning on a trail in the Green's Creek area.
May be a deterrent rather than a warning
The NCC says reports of rat poisoning on the trails is disturbing, and recommends everyone to be cautious.
Rules on NCC trails say dogs should be kept on-leash, and out of the water -- reason to believe the sign may be a deterrent.
"It concerns me, but like I said, there's a lot of folks that think it's something that will frighten people away from walking their dogs here," says dog owner Mike Robbins. "Maybe it's just someone that doesn't like dogs."
Signs to look for
If you suspect your dog has ingested rat poisoning, veterinarian Chris Elder says to watch for blood in the urine, heavy breathing and pale gums.
"The sooner you act, the better," says Elder, who works at the Alta Vista Animal Hospital. "And there is some medication that can act as antidote to help any signs from developing in the first place."
"It's just really sad that this is happening in the community," adds Ashley Bencke. "It's just a really nice place, there's a lot of friendly dogs and (Nella) loves it here."
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman
