Something strange is going on in Arizona. Multiple wildlife animals and pets have mysteriously died on a popular trail, alarming locals. According to The Arizona Game and Fishe Department, they've found 14 dead coyotes dead near the Pantano Wash river. They also retrieved the bodies of three dead javelina and a dead raven.
According to KVOA News 4, local pet owners have reported finding their dogs dead near the river as well. With all of the dead animals, some local experts believe there is a poison in the area.
"I suspect the poison is either strychnine or another fast-acting poison based on the appearance of the stomach contents," Dr. Anne Justice-Allen, a wildlife veterinarian for the department, told the outlet.
Local man Fritz Neuhauser said that he began discovering dead animals near the popular trail on January 21. He first came across a dead coyote then encountered three dead javelinas. By the end of the week, he had found more dead animals on or near the hiking trail. He decided to contact Arizona Game and Fish to report the problem.
Animals Dead On Popular Trail
Fritz Neuhauser, a resident who has lived in the Eastside for the last 40 years, started realizing something was wrong on January 21 when he discovered a dead coyote and three dead javelinas on his property, KVOA-TV reported.
"This, with 14 or more animals, this is not normal," Tarah Clark, the department's Tucson Wildlife Manager, told KVOA. "We believe that whoever is doing this is intentionally putting out poison targeting wildlife."
Sadly, Neuhauser and one of his neighbor's ended up losing their dogs to the mysterious poioon.
"We got really upset and were really looking," Neuhauser told KOLD 13 News. "It was probably 30, 40 minutes into it when my friend got a phone call and another dog walker had found his dog dead on the trail."
Fast forward a few days later and Neuhauser found his dog dead on the popular trail.
"I got another ping. Only the second ping in four days," Neuhauser told KOLD of the Air Tag. "Somebody had walked near enough to my dog. I saw it on the satellite and came down and I found my dog. He was such a good dog, such a friendly and happy dog. He did not deserve this."
