DNR warns dog owners to beware of poison in Chequamegon National Forest
6/22/2005
The Department of Natural Resources is warning people to watch out for poison bait in the Chequamegon National Forest. Mike Simonson reports that the poison may have been deliberately set.
The investigation began in March, when this poison bait was found in six locations within Ashland and Price Counties in far northern Wisconsin…all but one site in the Chequamegon National Forest.
Warden Adrian Wydeven says it appears this poison was deliberately set.
“We are concerned that somebody’s either trying to poison dogs or wolves or bears or some other predator.”
It took awhile for results to come back from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon, so this warning is just being released now. But Wydeven says tests showed it is a lethal substance put on food attractive to dogs.
“Right now we aren’t disclosing it yet because it’s still an ongoing investigation, but it’s one that normally serves as an insecticide.”
The warning is for anyone with pets who hike in the Chequamegon National Forest, and especially bear hunters who begin training season with their dogs July first.
“If a hunter sees any kind of unusual materials, dog foods or scraps with a bluish liquid over it, they should be aware of that. If they find anything unusual, people leaving animal food in places where there aren’t normally animals.”
Wydeven says he’s not aware of any dogs or other animals that have died from this poison. He says they’re asking for help from people if they have any information to call them at their tip line.
That tip line phone number is 800-TIP-WDNR.