Dog poisoning remains under investigation

CLARK FORK — Tainted sausage left on a hiking trail that killed one dog and sickened two others was laced with an insecticide, according to the Idaho Department of Fish & Game.

The homemade sausage contained carbaryl, which is mainly used to kill insects. Due to the remote location, investigators believe the person who placed the sausage on a hiking trail in the Lightning Creek drainage was targeting carnivorous wildlife, such as wolves.

A Bonner County woman was walking her dogs on trail No. 1184 on April 23 when they encountered the sausage. Three of the dogs consumed some of it and one later lapsed into seizures and died.

Additional samples were found in the area and a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service forensics lab determined the sausage had been spiked with the insecticide, a member of the carbamate family.

Fish & Game, Fish & Wildlife and criminal investigators from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are continuing to probe the incident and are seeking information regarding who may have made and placed the poisoned meat.

“The poison could have been consumed by a child, as it was placed right in the walking trail. Had that happened, we would be dealing with a human fatality,” said Fish & Game Conservation Officer Matt Haag.

There is a reward for information that leads to an arrest and callers can chose to be anonymous. Those with information are asked to call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999.

“Having a family lose a pet is a tragedy and reason enough to be alarmed. We need to catch the person responsible for this act and we are asking for help from the public,” Haag said.