Pet food laced with poison left by "someone who wants to kill animals" has forced residents to put up warning signs in Mushrif Park.
Several pet dogs who have squeezed through the gaps in the fence along the area have died after eating the poisoned food, apparently left in and outside the park by miscreants, according to municipal officials.
The officials said that the poisoned food was not left by pest-control officers, as residents had previously presumed.
Residents are now walking their dogs elsewhere.
Laura Glanfield took her dog for a walk behind her villa in Mirdiff four months ago. She took her dog off its leash and it ran through a gap in the fence and sniffed around.
Minutes later, the dog lay dying at Laura's feet. Laura noticed that what looked like cat food had been left near a foxhole.
"After experiencing the effects of poisoning first-hand, I have put up signs near the gaps in the fence warning people of the poison.
I've been to several authorities in Mushrif Park and at the municipality. Initially, I was told that the municipality was keen to cull an excess of foxes in the park to make way for a zoo.
Later on, this was denied. I lost my dog and wanted to make sure others do not suffer the same fate."
Murad Bakkar, head of park maintenance at the municipality, said the authorities were not responsible for placing poison in the area.
"There's nothing we can control by using this poison. This is done by someone who wants to kill animals.
"I don't think that we have used this poison. Our first priority is to avoid using chemicals where animals are concerned. We know that there are two families of foxes there and all kinds of birds.
"If anyone is caught harming the wildlife there, they will face penalties. It's a nature reserve area. I even take my own dogs to this area. Some people are breaking the fence and we will replace it."
Joan D'Silva is an Indian resident with two sons. She lost Duke, a German shepherd-Doberman cross, to poisoning in April. The dog ate poisoned food next to the open space in Mirdiff, bordering Mushrif Park.
"He ate what looked like pet food kept outside the park boundaries on the sandy area. He ingested a mouthful and ten minutes later started shivering and going into convulsions.
"We rushed him to the vet, but his temperature had risen very high and within an hour he was gone. The vet didn't do any tests, but judging from the smell of sulphuric acid, said it may have been cyanide poisoning."
D'Silva said many people had moved to this area because it is a pet-friendly place. "I've seen up to 25 dogs on their walks daily. Even children and toddlers play in this area. I've been patrolling the area to tell people to stay away."
D'Silva has also seen wildlife from the park near the fence. "I've seen foxes, hedgehogs and vipers in the park. There is a lot of wildlife there and I don't know why anyone would put poison there."
Suzie Brinton, a business development administrator from the United Kingdom, has a cat and walks her neighbours' dogs sometimes.
"I've seen foxes a few times. There are still gaps in the fence and no official signs warning people of poison. I don't go anywhere near it any more."
