Pet owners warned about harmful algae that killed three dogs in Lake Erie
Butler County has no shortage of lakes, ponds and streams, but dog owners should be vigilant in determining where their pets swim.
Blooms of a toxic cyanobacteria known as blue-green algae have proven fatal for a number of dogs around the country that swam in lakes or ponds containing a bloom.
Brian Flores, assistant park manager at Moraine State Park, said park officials are aware of the canine fatalities from blue-green algae and are monitoring Lake Arthur to keep dogs and humans safe.
He said park personnel conducted a test last year in one area of the lake where an algae bloom appeared, but the results came in below the hazardous level.
Flores has not seen any blue-green algae blooms this year in Lake Arthur, nor has he heard of any in the county.
Susan Boser, a water resources educator at the Penn State Extension office in Beaver County, said blue-green algae often occurs in late summer due to a combination of unmoving water and heat.
She said dog owners looking to cool off with their pup at a lake or pond should first observe the water and look for anything unusual that they don’t normally see. “I always say it almost looks like green paint or pea soup spilled onto the surface of the water,” Boser said.
This is a preview of an article that appeared in Thursday’s Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article and tips on precautions to take to keep you and your dogs safe.
