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Wrexham dog owners fear contaminated land caused pet's death
Overview
A Wrexham couple believe their dog Misty died after being exposed to a greasy, oily orange substance while walking near the Cefn Viaduct in December 2019. The dog later developed serious health issues, including coughing up blood and a rare heart tumour. The owners connect the incident to historical chemical dumping highlighted in a BBC documentary and are calling for pet medical records to be examined for clusters of rare illnesses. While local councillor Derek Wright raised concerns about public safety and a lack of warning signs near the site, a Wrexham council spokesperson stated that investigations indicated the deposits came from mining activity and that no further action is required.
Key points
- Donna and Pete O'Brien believe their dog Misty died after encountering a greasy orange substance near the Cefn Viaduct in Wrexham in December 2019.
- Misty subsequently suffered from declining health, periodic vomiting, diarrhoea, and eventually began coughing up blood before a scan revealed a heart tumour.
- The owners linked the orange substance to historical chemical dumping featured in the BBC's Buried documentary.
- They are calling for pet medical records to be examined for clusters of rare illnesses to help understand the impact of contamination on communities.
- Councillor Derek Wright raised concerns at a Wrexham council meeting regarding inadequate fencing and a lack of warning signs near the contaminated areas.
- Wrexham council stated that investigations with Natural Resources Wales and the Coal Authority indicated the deposits resulted from mining activity and required no further action.