AN ELDERLY couple whose 18-month-old rescue dog died from poisoning potentially picked up in a Stevenage wood say they are “shattered” by the experience.

Lyn and Tony Tiplady of Mobbsbury Way adopted Labrador cross Daisy from Heathlands Animal Sanctuary over a month ago, and said she became ill after walking through Acre Wood, in Chells.

Mrs Tiplady, 66, said: “I’m absolutely shattered. She was a rescue dog and we had her for about six weeks.

“We were going to dog training. She was very obedient, she was just brilliant.

“I just want dog owners to be careful.”

The couple regularly let Daisy off her lead in the woods, and say that after taking her both days at the weekend she became seriously ill.

When the couple came downstairs on Monday they discovered the dog lying by the back door surrounded by vomit.

Daisy was taken to the Woolpack Veterinary Surgery, in Buntingford, where she died about midday the same day.

The Tipladys were told she had probably been poisoned by Warfarin.

Rosemary Hobson, principal vet at the at the Buntingford vets, said: “It looks like she picked up Warfarin, but we can’t say for sure, because we haven’t done a whole battery of tests, she died very quickly.”

Mrs Hobson also advised dog owners to be careful, as often vermin pull the rat poison out from traps, even if placed properly, and dogs can then get hold of the deadly material.

Acre Wood, by the back of Nobel School, is not owned by Stevenage Borough Council.

However, the council has said it has not laid any poison or pesticide in the area, but says vets often confuse Warfarin poisoning with the ingestion of slug pellets.

This is the second time in as many months that a dog has died after being suspectedly poisoned in the Stevenage area.

A nine-year-old bichon frise died on November 20 after being walked through woodlands near Cleveland Way, Great Ashby.

The family, who want to remain anonymous, said they were “devastated” by the dog’s death, attributed to Warfarin poisoning.

The owner’s younger dog was diagnosed with the same condition a number of months ago, but survived.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “We’re concerned when poison is put down for other animals, such as to control rats and mice, where dogs can get to it.

“It does poison them and it’s a very painful death.

“We would be concerned if anyone is putting down poison, and if they are doing this, to do it in a controlled manner.”