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Dog owners should keep a tight grip on their pup’s leash after a golden retriever ingested a hallucinogenic drug and collapsed in east Caulfeild Sunday, according to West Vancouver police.
The dog was rushed from the forested area near Keith and Willow Creek roads to a veterinarian where it tested positive for phencyclidine, also called PCP or angel dust.
The dog is at home and expected to make a full recovery, according to West Vancouver Police Department Const. Jeff Palmer.
“What we don’t know far outweighs what we do,” Palmer said. “(There’s) no positive indication of where, when, or even how the dog may have come in contact with it,” Palmer said.
The retriever probably got sick “very soon” after contact with the drug, Palmer reasoned, noting a small amount of the mind-altering substance – which has been known to cause seizures and induce comas – would likely be enough to affect a dog. An extensive police search of the area yielded nothing, according to police.
The incident “appears to be a one-off,” Palmer said, explaining PCP is a “comparatively rare substance” in West Vancouver.
Given the results of the golden retriever’s blood test, Palmer is reminding West Van residents to remain alert when out for a stroll, particularly if accompanied by pets or small children.
