A COCKAPOO is lucky to be alive after eating a cocktail sausage filled with rat poison planted in the dog's very own back garden.

Owner Rachael Lee, 41, was stunned to discover what her 18-month-old Benji had eaten from their garden, but luckily got him to the vets just in time.

Meanwhile, police are investigating.

Rachael of Norwich Crescent, Rayleigh, now wants to warn other dog owners to be vigilant, as the incident is the latest, and most bizarre, in a string of poisonings in the area.

Describing what happened, Rachael said: “I thought he had picked up some bread, as I got closer I realised it was sausages. There were about eight or ten of them, filled with rat poison.

“Originally I thought someone had thrown them over the fence, but then I thought they’d been placed there. The police think it’s been thrown.

“I’m just trying to understand why someone would do something like this."

She added: "There are other dogs in the neighbourhood that bark all day, I wonder if it’s something to do with that. My dog is never left barking. But regardless, it’s a bit extreme."

Rachael immediately rushed the dog to the vets, which was vital in minimalising the effects of the pellets.

Michelle Warwick, practice manager at YourVets, Brook Road, Rayleigh, said: “We had a distressing case of sausages filled with rat bait being posted into a client’s garden in an attempt to poison their dog.

“His owner spotted him eating them, so we managed to get to him in time and induce vomiting, so we are expecting him to make a full recovery.

“Once she brought Benji in and we were aware of what happened we automatically gave Benji medicine that made him be sick. “

The vet explained it was very lucky the dog was brought in when he was as it meant the food was not digested and tit was unlikely there would be any after effects.

She said there have been other cases of suspected poisonings, but this was the first where they physically had the evidence.

Ms Warwick added: “This is the first time where the client was able to bring in the evidence. We have sent some samples to the lab to confirm so we can build an awareness of what is going on. It’s appalling really.”

Benji is back home and all ok, but is still "not quite himself" and "quiet" according to Rachael.

There have been several suspected poisonings in rural Rochford, including Hockley Woods, Ashingdon Park, Cherry Orchard Park, Spencers Park in Hockley, and areas of Rayleigh but nothing quite like this.

Police have been made aware of the incident.

A spokesman said: “Police were called in at 9am on Friday to a report how a dog had eaten some sausages containing an unknown substance.

“The sausages were left in the garden of a property in Norwich Crescent and contained purple pellets.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police in Rayleigh on 101.