A spate of dogs becoming ill and another dying from a mysterious “beach bug” has sparked a warning for visitors to Welsh beaches. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has warned dog owners living on Anglesey or visiting the island over the strange occurrences.
A spokesman for NRW responded to locals’ concerns that there may be a link between the incidents and blue-green algae. Locals have reported incidents being linked to areas of still water on beaches. But a spokesman for NRW said they “do not believe” there is a link.
They said: “We are aware of a number of dogs falling ill on beaches on Anglesey and we have been liaising with local groups and individuals. We do not believe this is linked to any algal blooms in the area and we will continue to monitor the situation. However we would advise owners to keep pets away from any stagnant water and any obvious algal growth or accumulation as a precaution.”
An Anglesey dog owner who says she is liaising with NRW told NorthWalesLive: “Nothing obvious has been reported such as palm oil or eating dead fish. However the one factor that’s common to the cases is dogs visiting still water as well as the sea. NRW believes algal blooms are unlikely to be responsible but it’s a difficult one: wind can shift algal blooms and an area that might be a problem one day might not be the next. If the cause is blue-green algae, which occurs naturally in still or stagnant water such as lakes, marshes and ponds, it is incredibly toxic to dogs. But at this stage we don’t really know what’s causing it.”
The woman explained she has heard reports of dogs dying in Cemaes Bay and Holyhead in mystery circumstances over the last week. However there are signs of a possible cluster in Aberffraw, where owners are calling for investigations.
Two years ago Dani Robertson-Phillips, from Anglesey, lost her two much-loved dogs to blue-green algae poisoning – a term used to describe a group of bacteria called cyanobacteria. Luna died after swimming in Llyn Maelog lake, Rhosneigr, followed shortly after by Bucky.
Ms Phillips said: “I am aware of eight dogs that have fallen ill. In some cases it has been serious, affecting the liver and kidneys and requiring veterinary treatment.” She said she has now bought a child's plastic sandpit and fills it with fresh water daily for her water-loving spaniel. “It means the house is always muddy but he adores his paddling pool and I know he is safe."
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