Last year, the UK's only emergency poison centre for animals received its highest ever number of calls involving cannabis, cocaine, magic mushrooms and nicotine. The centre receives on average one call a day about an animal that has ingested recreational drugs, and is dealing with 87% more cases than in 2021.
Dr. Nicola Robinson, head of service at VPIS, said: "It's quite remarkable what dogs decide to eat. Cats think before they eat, so there are far fewer cases of cats [being poisoned] than dogs." She noted that cannabis was a growing problem, with many exposures occurring in public places such as alleyways, parks and woods.
Pet owners report that dogs in particular poison themselves by finding and eating the vomit or faeces of a drug user, or abandoned food laced with drugs. Others have swallowed discarded nicotine gum, vaping fluid or other recreational drug products.
The dog insurer Waggel has seen a rise in cannabis claims over the past five years. Aimee Warner, a Waggel vet, said: "Highly food-motivated breeds like labradors, golden retrievers and beagles are most at risk."
Pamela Wesson, 72, now keeps her dog Lola on a lead in Mill Road cemetery in central Cambridge, a Victorian burial ground that is a wildlife haven, after previous incidents.