PETA deaths reward: Cocaine could have killed Whittington dogs

By John Van Klaveren
AN ANIMAL activist group has offered a $1000 reward for information on an alleged poisoning of three Whittington dogs.
The Australian arm of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said it wanted to “bring the person responsible for this horrific crime to justice”.
The dogs – a kelpie, a border collie and a great Dane – suffered poisoning on Sunday after their owners had left them alone for an hour. Two of the dogs died.
PETA Australia campaign director Jason Baker said the reward would go to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction over the “horrific crime”.
Mr Baker said the poisoning was an unusual case but PETA had previously offered rewards for information about cases of animal cruelty.
The owners of the dogs, Samantha Blackley, said the reward was “fantastic”.
“I really hope it might encourage someone to come forward.
“We always did the right thing and asked our neighbours whether our dogs were a problem.”
Ms Blackley said surviving dog Duke was recovering at home.
She was still unsure how the poison, believed to be a stimulant, had been administered.
“We were offered a test to see whether it was cocaine but it costs $600 and we can’t afford that.”
Ms Blackley said she thought the family would get more dogs in the future “but not at moment”.
“We’re burying our other two dogs and we don’t even know if Duke will fully recover.”
Geelong Police Senior Constable Clayton Schmidt said the attack was being investigated and treated as suspicious.
“The treating vet has indicated that a stimulant was used. We have established it did not come from the owners, so it must be from an outside source.
“We’re appealing for the public to come forward if they know anything because we don’t have great deal to go on.”