Last Saturday, Kinsey Perry and Larissa Parker were hanging out by the Guadalupe River south trail with their 5 dogs. About 45 minutes after they arrived, several of the dogs fell ill and one passed away. While the cause of death is not yet known, the women believe it was something in or near the water that made their dogs sick. Parker, the owner of the dog who died, said:
“I think the biggest thing to take away from this is that these dogs are coming from two separate homes. It’s not like it could have been anything else. They were both in the same environment. They were both in the same area, and all three were contaminated.”
Warning: News story shows clip of one of the dogs while he was ill. He later recovered.
The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority posted a statement on their Facebook page on Monday saying in part:
“Temperatures and other factors in late summer and early fall combined with low flow releases can create conditions favorable for blue-green algae to develop. Such seasonal occurrences are marked by strong hydrogen sulfide odors and algae blooms…individuals should exercise caution around areas of rivers or creeks with stagnant water, as it can increase the chance for harmful contact. Pets also should be kept on leashes and not allowed to drink from stagnant water areas.”
On Friday, they announced initial results of testing for an algae bloom conducted Monday and Wednesday:
“GBRA water quality staff responded by collecting water samples from the reported area. Subsequently, on Wednesday, Sept. 20, GBRA staff returned to the site and collected a second set of samples. There were no signs of an algae bloom readily visible around the area on either day. All test results of water samples collected by GBRA will be submitted to TCEQ for evaluation, but initial review of the data does not indicate the presence of an algae bloom.”
Here’s a video of Perry with her dog Hunnie on the way to the river where Hunnie died.
Perry and Parker want to warn others so nobody had to go through the same experience.
(H/T: Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, KSAT)
