North Yorkshire Police is investigating suspected dog poisonings at Lindley Wood Reservoir near Harrogate.

Police are appealing for information following the death of two dogs at the site. The animals died after eating something that is believed to be toxic on a walk at the reservoir between March 31 and April 15.

The Stray Ferret reported on Friday that Yorkshire Water, which owns the reservoir, had urged dog walkers to remain vigilant.

Police are carrying out enquiries and said in a statement released today:

“We were made aware of what happened at around 4pm on Tuesday, April 16.

“If you have any information that can help us with our investigation, please get in touch. We would also like to hear from any other dog owners who believe their dog may have been affected in similar circumstances after visiting the location in recent weeks.”

Last week, dog owners took to social media to report the suspected poisoning. A five-year-old Cockerpoo and a puppy died after being walked at the site.

Lindley Wood, along with nearby Swinsty, Fewston and Thruscross reservoirs is owned by Yorkshire Water.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson urged dog owners to remain vigilant and to report anything suspicious at its reservoirs.

They said:

“We are saddened to hear of these incidents, which we were made aware of via social media. Our colleagues have not found anything suspicious at the reservoir, but we would encourage the dog owners to reach out to our customer service team and share specific details of where they were walking at the time so we can establish if this was on land owned by Yorkshire Water, and if so, support with any required investigation.

“In the meantime, we would continue to urge walkers and owners to remain vigilant and keep their dogs on a lead when walking around our reservoirs, for their safety, and the safety of surrounding wildlife.”

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North Yorkshire has retained the dubious honour of being the UK’s worst blackspot for killing birds of prey – a grim title it has retained for a decade.

Birdcrime 2019, a report by the RSPB, said the county had the highest number of raptor persecution incidents in the UK. It was responsible for 15 of the 85 confirmed cases.

Many of the case studies the RSPB cited were recorded in Nidderdale.

In 2019, a hen harrier was found shot dead on a grouse moor in Nidderdale. The bird, named River, had a tracking device and had two pieces of shot lodged in its body.

In the same year a red kite was also found poisoned just outside of Pateley Bridge.

The killings have continued into 2020, with the shooting of a buzzard, the poisoning of a red kite and a dog all near the town.

Read more:

• Grouse shooting in Nidderdale: barbaric or necessary?
• Six suspected poisonings of birds of prey in Nidderdale
• ‘Nidderdale cocktail’ found in poisoned dogs in Pateley Bridge

The report highlights how many birds of prey in the UK are shot, trapped or poisoned, despite it being a criminal offence.

The charity said there had been a spike in incidents since lockdown and called for stronger regulation, including a review of grouse shooting.

North Yorkshire Police has issued several appeals for information about the killings of birds of prey but have found it difficult to prosecute.

A family has spoken of its heartbreak after losing a dog to a deadly “cocktail of poisons” in Pateley Bridge.

The family had taken Molly, a springer spaniel, and Poppy, a cocker spaniel for a walk on April 23 when the two dogs both suddenly fell ill.

Both went to the vet but Molly died shortly afterwards. Poppy has since recovered.

Molly and Poppy’s family said in a statement losing one of their dogs to poison has been “soul-destroying” and added:

“We miss Molly every day. She was a lovely dog, daft as a brush, and she loved everything and everybody. One minute she was a lovely, bubbly spaniel and then she was gone, in a heartbeat.”

The family had taken the dogs for a walk up to Two Stoops. On the way home Poppy started being sick and Molly began twitching later.

Read more:

• ‘Nidderdale cocktail’ found in poisoned dogs in Pateley Bridge
• Six suspected poisonings of birds of prey in Nidderdale

About an hour later the vets called the family to say that Molly had died.

“It’s bad enough losing an old dog, but Molly was only three and half, she was fit and healthy and she should still be here, she didn’t need to die. We’re so angry that some people think it’s alright to put out poison.”

The family has been left asking questions about why anyone would do this, and what if it had happened to someone’s child.

Samples found four poisons, which combined together have been named locally as a Nidderdale cocktail.

The tests concluded that exposure to the poisons was the most likely cause of Molly’s death.

It is feared the two dogs inadvertently came across a poison bait that may have been placed to target birds of prey.

The Stray Ferret has previously reported an increase in bird poisonings in the Nidderdale area after six birds died due to suspected poisonings.

To encourage people to come forward with information, local businessman Keith Tordoff has offered a £5000 reward.

North Yorkshire Police executed searches at a number of properties in the area on July 17. Investigations are ongoing.

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North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after two pet dogs were poisoned in Pateley Bridge with the same combination of poisons used to kill local birds of prey.

The two dogs fell seriously ill while being walked in April. One did not survive.

Samples from the dog that died found four poisons, which combined together have been named locally as a Nidderdale cocktail.

The tests concluded that exposure to the poisons was the most likely cause of the dog’s death.

The Stray Ferret has previously reported an increase in bird poisonings in the Nidderdale area after six birds died due to suspected poisonings.

To encourage people to come forward with information, local businessman Keith Tordoff has offered a £5000 reward.

Police are appealing for information about animals being poisoned in the area.

Inspector Matt Hagen, head of North Yorkshire’s rural taskforce, said:

“The fact we have seen this same combination of chemicals, the Nidderdale cocktail as it is sometimes known, also cause the death of birds of prey in this same location would indicate that the poisons have been deliberately left in a place where they could be found by wildlife and unfortunately in this case, domestic pets.

“Pesticide abuse of any kind will not be tolerated and we are doing everything we can to try and find those responsible.”

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• North Yorkshire Police has asked dog walkers to take more responsibility after an increase of attacks on livestock.
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The test results and local intelligence led North Yorkshire Police to search several properties in the area. However, none provided any clear evidence about how the poisons reached the two dogs.

The poisons are chloralose, bendiocarb, isofenphos and carbofuran. Chloralose is licensed for use in England in low concentrations but the other three are all banned.

Police have warned that none of these chemicals should be used in an environment where domestic animals or wildlife could come into contact with them. A person misusing pesticides could be charged with a variety of offences.

Mark Thomas, head of investigations at the RSPB, said:

“Carbofuran is one of the most commonly abused substances in the poisoning of birds of prey. It is a highly toxic, banned substance putting wildlife, pets and people at risk.

“This is not the first time harmful substances have been found left out in the open and sadly it unlikely to be the last. This reckless and irresponsible behaviour, which had led to the death of a beloved family pet, cannot be allowed to continue.”

To help the police call 101, quoting reference: 12200068444 or if to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Since the beginning of lockdown, North Yorkshire’s rural taskforce has reported one confirmed and five suspected cases of bird poisonings in the Nidderdale area.

Local businessman Keith Tordoff has put forward a £5000 reward to encourage people to come forward with information.

The first case of poisoning was noted over 18 months ago when a red kite was poisoned, but in recent months the issue seems to have resurfaced.

The confirmed case was found by a couple after a buzzard fell into their garden from a tree at the beginning of lockdown.

The several suspected cases include two family dogs, both fell ill on a walk in Nidderdale in March.

It was suspected they had eaten some poisoned bait that was meant for the birds. The two spaniel breeds were taken to the vets, where one died following the incident.

Including these two dogs, there have been a further five suspected incidents of poisonings over the past three months. Inspector Matt Hagan, the head of the rural taskforce said:

“As well as the one confirmed poisoning of a buzzard a few months ago I have sent another five suspected incidents of poisonings to the labs. I am still awaiting results, but there may be other incidents I am unaware of from other teams in the surrounding areas. The bird breeds include peregrine falcons, buzzards and red kites”.

The lockdown has meant the lab reports are delayed however the team is dedicated to finding the person responsible.

Nidderdale is a tourist hotspot, but with a series of suspected bird poisonings it has become the centre of police enquiries.

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Keith Tordoff, a local business man and former Chair of the Chamber of Trade for Pateley Bridge, said:

“When I realised the severity of what was happening I decided to put up a reward of £5000 for information.  We got some information at the beginning but no-one was convicted. Then, in lockdown a buzzard fell out of a tree into a couple’s garden still alive, when it was taken to the vet it was confirmed as a poisoning. Tests found four chemicals, three of which are illegal.”

The cash reward is still active as no convictions have been made in this case.