Bitch narrowly survived

Animal haters hid rat poison in tennis balls

Animal haters seem to be coming up with more and more new methods to harm four-legged friends. In Traun (Upper Austria), the play instinct of dogs was apparently to come to a fatal end: A shepherd mix found a tennis ball filled with poison - fortunately, the dog could be saved. 

An animal hater in Traun apparently wanted to cruelly exploit the play instinct of dogs. "I was out walking my shepherd mix in Grinningerstraße on Thursday. My 'Cloe' found a tennis ball and took it with her," wrote Selin M. on Facebook.

Probably rat poison
At home, she noticed that the ball had been cut open and was filled with white powder. This could be alpha-chloralose, a poison that is used to control rats and mice. However, if dogs or cats come into contact with it, it is often fatal.

Bitch could be saved
An immediate visit to the vet probably saved "Cloe's" life. Two dead ravens are also said to have been found at the site of the ball - the police are investigating.