Poisoned Dog Treats Kills Family Pet

Shannon Collamore believes someone fed her dog a treat laced with poison while he was outside in her yard. Now she wants others to know that it is happening in her neighborhood.

Shannon said her dog, Sterling, could have possibly consumed poison 3 weeks before he died.

A local veterinarian isn’t confirming that rat poison killed a woman’s dog, but the possibility hasn’t been ruled out.

Dr. Carin Ramsel of Cook Veterinary Hospital in Colorado Springs, said the eight-month-old Great Dane arrived on Jan. 30 with difficulty breathing, unable to stand and bleeding internally. She said Sterling died within 90 minutes of arrival.

Ramsel said either rat poison or a congenital illness, combined with Sterling’s youth, could have contributed to his death. An expensive, more detailed exam is needed for confirmation, she said.

“I would ask why,” said Collamore. “That’s the hardest thing, knowing that our dog was such a good dog, never did anything wrong, never hurt anybody.”

Collamore said she didn’t report the incident to police because it’s hard to prove that someone poisoned Sterling. She said she doesn’t believe anyone has a reason to dislike her or her dog. Her two remaining dogs and five cats will be watched more closely and kept inside more often, she said.

Sterling was a birthday present, she said, after her previous Great Dane died at the age of 13.

Ramsel said she’s heard from other veterinarians about similar pet deaths. However, an animal control officer for the Pikes Peak Humane Society said investigating such cases is difficult.