6 dogs die after visiting wildlife conservation training area in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Six dogs died after visiting a wildlife conservation training area in Salt Lake City, Utah, prompting the closure of the facility and cancellation of an upcoming event as authorities investigate the cause of the incident.

Faith Heaton Jolley, the spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said the area is known for training hunting dogs. It is next to the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range.

Our conservation officers received a report on Saturday, May 20. A dog owner/trainer had arrived at the training property with about 13 dogs that were being trained on the property. That man camped on the property with the dogs for roughly eight days," Jolley said.

Heaton Jolley said the man observed some of the dogs eating a "crusty, salty-like layer on some of the grass near the edge of the water."

The man called his dogs back and put them in their kennels. But later that day, he noticed some of the dogs were showing symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Some of the dogs died either after being euthanized by a veterinarian or experiencing cardiac arrest, likely resulting from kidney and liver failure. All of dogs who died belonged to one owner.

Out of an abundance of caution, for any possible contamination, we closed the wildlife conservation training area until further notice. And we also cancelled an upcoming national event that was going to be held there this weekend," Jolley said.

The Division of Wildlife Resources has contacted the Utah Division of Water Quality. The incident remained under investigation.

They visited the pond on Monday and took some samples of the water. Their scientists said there was no visual evidence of a harmful algae bloom on the pond. However, they did see some growth that they think was partially composed of a bacteria on the grass that was growing along that shoreline. In the past, they have seen instances of dogs getting ill or died from consuming that type of bacteria," Jolley said.

Jolley warns dog owners to be vigilant if you're out recreating this summer around water. For more information on how to protect your dog, visit the Utah Department of Environmental Quality website.