It comes as a Wagga woman discovered snail bait strewn across her Glenfield Park yard, which poisoned her four small dogs. 

Two Chihuahuas died as a result, while a third was rushed to a vet “fighting for its life”. 

Thankfully, the fourth was fine. 

Best Friends Pet Rescue president Janey Adams labelled the shocking incident a “cruel act”. 

“It is awful,” she said.

“It is fairly common for pets to get into things that they shouldn’t.

“But this deliberate act is terribly cruel.”

Ms Adams advised any resident who had issues with nearby pets should take the matter up with council, rather than taking the law into their own hands. 

“To poison a dog is just so cruel,” she said. 

The senseless attack has reissued warning over responsible ways to bait pests without affecting pets. 

“Put baits in the right place and you have to be careful where you store all poisons and baits,” Ms Adams said.

“Make sure its inaccessible.

“We generally tell people on properties with small children or pets, don’t store baits or poisons at all.”

Lake Road Veterinary practice owner, Dr Alex Keough, said baiting – whether deliberate or accidental – was “very common” in Wagga.

“We certainly see plenty of patients regarding baiting,” she said.

“I think the bulk are accidental ingestions, but there’s certainly the possibility of deliberate baiting.”

When a pet ingests bait – whether its snail, mouse or any other household kind, including chocolate – it has seizures and convulsions.

“There’s no antidote for snail baits,” Dr Keough said.

“We try to get most of it out of the system, put them on a drip and dilute the toxin though fluid therapy.

“Snail bait and rat bait is what we most commonly see.”

Dr Keough said baiting was a concern all-year round.

Wagga police Inspector Peter McLay said while there was no report lodged on this incident, the matter of baiting was an ongoing concern. 

“We often get called if someone’s animal has been killed or poisoned and we investigate it as best we can,” Inspector McLay said.

“Like a lot of these incidents, it can be hard to prove.”