STV NewsA dog has died after swallowing a pipe cleaner left by local primary school pupils at a park in Dundee.
The pipe cleaners were wrapped in food and attached to trees in Baxter Park for a birdfeeder project by local primary school children. They then fell to the ground during strong winds.
Concerns were raised about the items two days before the death by another dog walker whose pet ingested four.
Chris Hall raised the issue with Dundee City Council on February 5 but says an opportunity to prevent the dog’s death was missed.
He told STV News: “We come here every day. I was walking along when I spotted a bright neon pipe cleaner with food wrapped around it.”
River, a five-year-old Golden Retriever, ingested four of the pipe cleaners during walks in the park.
STV NewsLuckily, she was able to pass the items and was given the all-clear by the vet.
Two days later, another dog ate one but sadly didn’t survive.
Chris said: “They’re absolutely devasted. I can only imagine the pain that they’re feeling – it’s my worst nightmare.
“I’m just so fortunate and so relieved that River is still here.
“There was a missed opportunity by the council. There was a window there where they were made aware of the danger and the situation, and they failed to act, and it unfortunately cost a family their pet.
“I’ve got no confidence that there isn’t more lying around, and they could persist for months with the food on them. The danger is still present, and I don’t feel comfortable letting River off the lead here.”
STV NewsA Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware that pipe cleaners, which were used by pupils as part of a birdfeeder project, have unfortunately ended up on the ground at Baxter Park.
“We have worked to clean up the area and are looking into the matter with our schools to prevent this from happening again.”
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