Dog owner's plea for angling action after pet's fish hook horror

Orin Courtenay was left horrified after his 12-year-old Labrador Charlie emerged from the lake at Abbey Fields, where angling is prohibited, with a fishing hook stuck through his tongue.

However, thanks to the sharp reactions of the expert team at Linnaeus-owned Avonvale Veterinary Centres, which has seven practices across Warwickshire, Charlie was soon licked into shape and the painful hook removed.

Orin is now calling for more to be done to highlight the dangers of fishing waste and said further action was needed to prevent angling at Abbey Fields.

He said: “I was really shocked and dismayed there were hooks left in a lake, which is home to so many waterbirds.

“Fishing is prohibited in the park and discarded hooks and tackle can be dangerous to both pets and children.

“Having to worry about things such as this lying around just causes unnecessary stress.

“The vets at Avonvale took perfect care of Charlie but I’m urging Warwick District Council to put up more ‘no fishing’ signs so other animals don’t suffer the same injury Charlie did.”

After rushing him to Avonvale’s Kenilworth practice, the team sedated Charlie before removing the hook quickly to prevent any further damage to his mouth.

Vet surgeon Lara Collett, who carried out the procedure, said: “Thankfully, Charlie’s owner got him to us as soon as possible and we were able to remove the fish hook quickly.

“It’s really important to emphasise the risk discarded fish hooks can pose to pets and wildlife.

“With better fishing conditions during the longer days of summer, it’s important for pet owners to be vigilant when walking their dogs around any water.

“I’m sure many fishing enthusiasts dispose of their equipment responsibly but there are those who perhaps aren’t as thorough, so pet owners need to be watchful.

“If your animal does get injured by a discarded fish hook, take them to your vets immediately, so they can assess the damage and ensure they are treated promptly.”

For more information on Avonvale Veterinary Centres, visit www.avonvets.co.uk or search for Avonvale Vet Centres on Facebook.