‘A very special dog’ ... Toby (inset), and Ross and Lynne’s van
A grey nomad couple who lost their mini Foxie to 1080 are determined to raise awareness of the danger that the poison poses to pets.
Ross and Lynne from the New South Wales Mid North Coast would hate to see any other travellers suffer the anguish they endured after their beloved ‘Toby’ died in their arms.
“He was a very special dog who understood us completely,” said Ross. “He was very much a part of the family and we have shed a lot of tears since it happened … and I’m no sook.”
The couple were bush camping on the edge of Isla Gorge National park in central Queensland when disaster struck.
“We have been taking trips with Toby for six years and are very aware of 1080,” said Ross. “We always look for warning signs and will always move on if we see one.”
They suspect the dog ingested the 1080 when he went ‘for a wander’ first thing in the morning and ‘sort of sneaked back to the van with a guilty look’.
The dog was unusually docile as the couple drove on to a new riverside campsite and was soon ‘as crook as Rookwood’.
“He had a quick stroll and then fitted before briefly coming good and then fitting again,” said Ross. “We moved as fast as possible to get him to the vet at Moura.”
Sadly, however Toby died on Lynne’s lap before they reached the vet, who later confirmed that 1080 had been responsible.
Compound 1080 is a pesticide used to control a range of pest animals throughout Australia. In the field, it is mixed with bait material, perhaps chopped carrot or meat. It is sometimes dropped in from the air. As well as eating it directly, pets may be affected if they feed on an animal or bird that has been killed by the poison.
While there are some who campaign to have 1080 banned, Ross and Lynne accept that measures have to be taken to control pest species.
“I would just appeal to other grey nomads travelling with pets to be really aware of the possible presence of 1080,” said Ross. “And I would say to always keep dogs on a leash.”
Ross and Lynne, who found the hole in their lives after Toby died was just too big, have recently adopted another dog, a Chihuahua/Foxie cross. They plan to hit the road again before too long, but will be buying a muzzle for ‘Diesel’ … something they thought they would never do.
“We just couldn’t bear to go through that pain again,” said Ross. “And we wouldn’t want anyone else to, either.”
