An agricultural chemical is blamed for the death of one dog and the poisoning of six others in and near Regina’s Wascana Park last week.
Carbofuran, more commonly known as Furadan, was also responsible for the death of three dogs and more than 160 birds in the park last summer.
The Wascana Centre Authority said the dogs ate something that contained the poison. Police are investigating.
Furadan is not a chemical used by park staff and it is not available to residential homeowners.
The highly toxic insecticide is most commonly used in Saskatchewan to combat flea beetles in canola and mustard, said Scott Hartley, provincial insect and pest management specialist. It is registered to control the red turnip beetle in those two crops as well, but Hartley said that pest is rarely seen.
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“You need to have a commercial applicator’s licence or be a farmer in order to acquire the stuff,” Hartley said.
It’s also registered to control the sunflower beetle in sunflowers, European corn borer in corn and Colorado potato beetle, potato flea beetle, potato leafhopper and tarnished plant bug in potatoes.
Furadan’s use was restricted about 10 years ago after concerns about the chemical’s effect on burrowing owls and other wildlife.
