A North Yorkshire pensioner whose dog died in agony after eating highly-toxic rat poison has warned of a potential pet death epidemic.

Alf Jones's 11-year-old border collie, Ben, developed blood clots in his lungs and underneath the skin in his leg and had a severely swollen bladder after swallowing a small amount of the rat poison warfarin.

Mr Jones had no option but to have Ben put down.

"I'd like to shake whoever put this poison down for Ben," said Mr Jones, who lives in Rivis Square, Kirkbymoorside.

"We had Ben from when he was a puppy and he had a lovely nature; he was a loving family pet and my wife, Myra, and I were absolutely devastated when he became ill."

Mr Jones now says he is concerned there could be an epidemic of similar pet deaths because the route he walked Ben on every day is popular with other dog owners.

"I want to warn other dog owners in Kirkbymoorside of the dangers of walking their dogs in the town.

"Ben was a very obedient dog and I never had him off the leash; his only fault was he wanted to sniff absolutely everything - just like all dogs really," said Mr Jones.

"The route I used was past Low Park Farm and Swinehead Lane; I know about 50 other dog owners in the town who use the same route.

"He must have picked something up along there because that's the only place I ever took him.

"I always use a public footpath so whoever has put this poison down is putting it very near where people are walking."

Mr Jones said about three weeks ago he noticed Ben had a blood clot on his leg so he took him to the vet.

Vet George Skinner, who treated Ben at his surgery in Helmsley, said rat poisoning in dogs was common at this time of year.

"There is a lot of rat poison around in rural areas and it is important owners keep a close eye on where their dogs are sniffing," he said.

"Warfarin takes a long time to work its way through the body so the animal often does not become ill until days after it has come into contact with the poison."

ryedale@ycp.co.uk