Poison suspected in dog deaths

Poison suspected in dog deaths

A picture of Valarie Baker's dog Mickey.

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By Susan Harding and KATU Web Staff

SUBLIMITY, Ore. - The deaths of three dogs this weekend are being called suspicious by Marion County Sheriff's deputies - but a family believes it was pure revenge.

Snowy was the first - experiencing seizures Friday and then dying within an hour. Hours later it was Mickey, which was found dead in the backyard. Then Saturday owner Valarie Baker's third dog, Dreamer, had died.

The family decided to leave the dogs where they died as sort of a crime scene because they didn't know whether they should bury them or not. They are hoping that animal control officials or sheriff's deputies will test the dogs for poison.

Baker is also searching for any clues that might help her understand what killed the dogs.

While searching for clues, she found a fourth dog that she had never seen before dead on a new blanket.

Baker speculates that workers from a neighboring Christmas tree farm may be connected to the deaths due to an ongoing feud she has had with some there.

She said they threw rocks at her pets and she confronted them about it. She speculates that the workers may have retaliated against her but she has no proof.

Baker said she can't afford the blood tests needed to determine what killed her dogs. And sheriff's deputies told her they can't move forward with the investigation without those test results.

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