Wednesday, September 12, 2012

And finally, specific information on the Riverside Poisonings

I heard this morning from several dog walkers on Riverside about an online article that had much more information than the WCBS News report I posted a link to yesterday--should have figured--it's DNAinfo.com--not the first time I've noticed they tend to have more and better information than anyone else when it comes to neighborhood news.

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120910/central-harlem/aspca-investigates-poisoning-deaths-of-four-dogs-at-riverside-park

I've actually met one of these dogs, and his family--Charlie, the terrier mix from South Africa, who was a regular visitor to the Rocky Run.

The really chilling thing is that apparently a small dog was fatally poisoned simply by licking Charlie's mouth while they were on the way to the vet.  That's a very potent toxin.   And quite clearly not the kind of thing people buy in local stores to get rid of rats or pigeons.  Whoever did this had access to stronger stuff, that normal people would have a hard time obtaining (leaving aside the fact that  normal people wouldn't want to).

This is hearsay evidence, but reportedly a superintendant of a building on 137th St. near Riverside has said he put down poison over on the park side of the avenue, because he was upset about people not picking up after their dogs.

I've been walking Max there for years, and the overwhelming majority of dog owners who walk there pick up after their dogs.   There are no apartment buildings on the west side of Riverside in that neighborhood--it's all parkland.   On the east side of Riverside, people who don't bother to walk their dogs more than a block or so from where they live sometimes do fail to pick up--people who care enough to give their dogs good walks--and to exercise their dogs at dog runs and offleash areas--are a different breed.  They pick up.  But if a super only left poison around his own building, that would point directly at him.  If he resented the handful of irresponsible dog people in the area, he'd have to take revenge by putting the poison elsewhere--where irresponsible dog owners would mainly never bother to take their dogs.   Probably all the dogs killed belonged to people who picked up.  

There have been serious problems with human litter there, particularly leftovers from barbecues and picnics--which were banned in that area this past summer, most likely because the leftover food was attracting rats.  Some people also feed feral cats in that area, and pigeons, which can be messy.  But by and large, it's a nice clean place to walk.   And it's really hard to see how deadly poison--that could just as easily kill a toddler who touched the bait and then put his hand in his mouth--makes it any better.

But hatred of dogs and their people is a disease that afflicts many in this city.   So this could be true.  But as of right now, it's a rumor.   If it's true, my guess is that whoever did this is good and scared, which is why there have been no further incidents since July.   Scared is good.   Jail would be better.   I'll keep an ear cocked.

Update--DNAinfo now has a story about PETA offering a $2,500 reward for information on who put down the poison.  
 
Considering that PETA has historically been opposed the very concept of keeping dogs and cats as companions, this may seem a bit counter-intuitive, and I have my doubts about whether somebody who hasn't already come forward will do so for two and a half grand, but maybe it'll help. 

No comments: