Up to five dogs are thought to have died from poisoning after walking in city parks.

And more pets have been violently ill in similar incidents – leaving owners scared to exercise their dogs in green open spaces.

Alan Andrews’ dog Lola – a ten-year-old Springer Spaniel – fell ill last week after walking her in Vale Park, Portslade.

It is thought she stepped in a toxin which she then ingested by licking her paws. She had severe diarrhoea and liver failure and died two days later.

Mr Andrews, of St Andrew’s Road in Portslade said he and his family were devastated by the loss which came as a huge shock.

The 68-year-old said: “I took her for a walk at 4pm and she had eaten very little. She went to bed at 11pm but at 2.30am the next morning she was really unwell. I took her to the vet who gave her antibiotics and said she had ingested a toxin.

“On Friday at about 3am she could barely walk so I rushed her back into the vets but she died of renal failure.

“We are so upset, she is part of our family.

“I can’t imagine anyone would be that sick to deliberately set out to hurt these animals.

“It must be something being put down in the park and no one has realised it will harm animals.

“People are really worried and are washing their dog’s paws after walking.

“We don’t want to walk our other dogs in parks now.”

He said there has been four other similar dog deaths in the last few months and that some owners have claimed they have seen white powder left around lamp posts in parks.

Daisy Martin, 24, of Montpelier Road, Brighton, also rushed her four-year-old Chihuahuas Prince and Rambo to the vets after they went for a walk in Hove Park last month.

She said: “They started vomiting and were bringing up big chunks of meat and pellets in their vomit.

“I have never fed them food like that so they must have eaten it in the park.

“Maybe the pellets were put down as poison for rats or foxes.

“They recovered but nine days later Prince had renal failure and nearly died. I think he was saved because we got him to the vet so quickly. It is really worrying and scary that this is happening.”

Both Miss Martin and Mr Andrews urged owners to take care when walking their dogs and to report any similar incidents.

A spokeswoman from Brighton and Hove City Council said they were aware of the death but had not received any reports of white powder or pellets in parks and had not been asked to investigate.

A police spokesman appealed for witnesses to the incident or anyone with information to call 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting 282 of March 24.

Dog owners can report incidents to the Wildlife Investigation Scheme on 0800 321600.