“He’s completely food-motivated, but he wouldn’t even look at me. We tried putting him on the ground to see if he would walk, but he just sat there all funny, he physically couldn’t move.”
At first, the family thought Rocky had possibly eaten chocolate, a common toxin for dogs.
After taking him to the vet and receiving initial treatment for possible chocolate ingestion, Rocky’s condition deteriorated and the dog became hyperactive, disoriented, and fixated on the ceiling.
“You could tell he was on something. He was really high.”
Rocky's vet bills have reached over $18,000 for four days of care. Photo / Supplied
After a second visit to the vet, Rocky was sedated, and tests confirmed the presence of amphetamines in his system.
While sedated, Rocky aspirated vomit, leading to pneumonia.
He remained sedated for three days and required further treatment for corneal ulcers, a side effect of the prolonged sedation.
“He vomited and aspirated some of the vomit into his lungs... So then he got pneumonia on top of everything,” said Kingsley.
The vet bill for Rocky’s treatment quickly escalated to over $18,000.
This financial strain was compounded by the fact that the family had recently lost their other dog Sammy, a three-year-old Cavoodle, to lymphoma cancer, spending around $3500 on treatment for that pet.
Rocky and Sammy, a 3-year-old Cavoodle who died of lymphoma cancer just six days before Rocky was poisoned. Photo / Supplied
“Rocky got sick just six days after Sammy died. My son was already traumatised, and I didn’t think he could handle losing a second dog in a week.”
Last month, the Herald reported a dog had fallen sick after ingesting methamphetamine while on a walk through Grey’s Ave.
Kingsley said the incident raised concerns about safety in Myers Park, where drug use appears to be an ongoing issue.
“I won’t go down into the park at night. We’ve seen people completely out of it, and we’ve found needles and other drug-related items,” she said.
Auckland Council’s Acting Area Manager Operations Waitematā & Ōrākei Don To’o told the Herald they were aware of the reported incident, however a sweep of Myers Park didn’t find any drug paraphernalia.
“Our contractors conduct daily loose litter sweeps of Myers Park. We urge dog owners to be mindful when walking dogs in public places that there may be material on the ground which dogs should avoid contact with and should not eat,” To’o said.
To’o added there are CCTV cameras in Myers Park and a number of safety initiatives, including patrols by Auckland Council compliance wardens, in the wider city centre area.
Rocky is now recovering at home, still dealing with some of the after-effects of the ordeal, but his owners are hopeful for a full recovery.
A Givealittle to help pay the vet fees for Rocky has been set up by his owners.
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