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TAYLORSVILLE -- Pat Lewis weeps for her beloved dogs.
"I just miss them, miss them really," she said.
She has lived in the Majestic Meadows neighborhood in Taylorsville for the last 6 years with her 12-year-old Shih Tzu mix, Daisy, and since September with her Yorkie, Moose.
"They were my company," she said. "They were my second kids."
Just last week, her dogs suddenly became ill. Lewis thought it was something the dogs might've eaten.
"I had to rush them to the vet hospital," explained Lewis. "They had been poisoned with antifreeze."
Records KSL obtained from the Cottonwood Animal Hospital indicate both dogs had ethylene glycol toxicity. Moose died the night of March 2 and Daisy died the next day.
"I have my good days and I have my bad days," said Lewis. "Today's a really bad day."
Last December, someone left a note on Lewis' door. At first, she thought it was her property manager.
"I had a note on there saying my dogs were barking and I was going to be fined," explained Lewis. "The office says that is not true."
The Majestic Meadows management denied leaving the note. But the property sent a December newsletter to all residents warning of problems with dogs barking.
Part of the newsletter reads:
"I just feel so strongly that it was random. Not that they were targeted specifically. "I just think somebody decided to be mean." -Pat Lewis
"The barking dog syndrome is starting up again. Your dog is not to be left outside without you. If you are outside and your dog barks, please take your pet inside. All noise is louder as it bounces off homes and carports. Please be sure your pet is leashed when out of your home."
"My [dogs] are not obnoxious," Lewis said. "They don't continually bark. I bring them in the house."
A lease statement obtained from Majestic Meadows allows for small pets but states that pets cannot disturb neighbors, including "barking, growling, or biting."
Lewis doesn't think any of her neighbors had anything to do with her dogs being poisoned. The neighbors we talked to said they rarely ever hear her dogs bark. One man did say, however, it is difficult to live in the Majestic Meadows neighborhood and enjoy your pets.
Furthermore, Lewis says her neighbors never complained about her dogs.
"I just feel so strongly that it was random. Not that they were targeted specifically," explained Lewis. "I just think somebody decided to be mean."
Meanwhile, animal advocacy groups claim someone intentionally poisoned Lewis' dogs. Anne Davis, executive director of the Animal Advocacy Alliance of Utah calls this incident animal cruelty. She wants authorities to charge the person or people responsible with a felony.
"Just look at it logically," explained Davis. "Who's going to come in here and randomly poison two little dogs? I mean come on."
Davis explains that those responsible most likely used antifreeze bought before the Utah Antifreeze Law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. The law requires denatonium benzoate be mixed in with antifreeze. It's a bitter ingredient which masks the sweet taste of antifreeze. Without it, animals would eat it and die.
"It is known who the complainant is," said Davis. "The Taylorsville police and West Valley Animal Control are investigating."
The Animal Advocacy Alliance of Utah is offering a $2,500 reward for anyone who has information on who might've poisoned Daisy and Moose.
E-mail: niyamba@ksl.com
