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SOUTH JORDAN -- Who is poisoning the dogs along two quiet South Jordan streets? Neighbors want to know, but police say they can't pin down an answer.
The neighbors say seven dogs have died, all suddenly, on Harmony Rose Circle and Florence way, in the last three years. The streets are nestled off 1000 West near 9900 South, against the backdrop of a couple of small farms and within sight of the Jordan River temple.
South Jordan police Lt. Matt Evans tells KSL police are aware of four or five dog deaths, all within about the last year. According to Evans, the pattern is for one dog to die about every two months. The problem for police is that they aren't hearing about the deaths until long after the fact, often through the rumor mill. By the time they can investigate, any proof is long gone.
At least one dog's owner believes his pet survived a poisoning. "[Rocky] was listless and lying down for a couple of days and sick. And then he bucked up and seemed to recuperate from it," he told us.
It was only after he began to hear about the deaths of his neighbors' dogs that Rocky's owner suspected something more sinister at work.
Another owner, Joe, says his dog was one of the first to die, about three years ago. He says his dog's illness began with seizures.
"I took him to the vet. An hour later, he was dead," Joe said.
Rocky's owner can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt his gentle, aging dog. "Our grandchildren lie on him and ride him, and he's never even growled at anybody, ever," he said.
Joe says neighbors believe they know who's behind the poisoning, but they can't prove it. A man was spotted near the house where two Afghan hounds died around 4 a.m. before they were killed.
Another neighbor says the Environmental Protection Agency is investigating as well.
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
