Man Warns Others After “Britain’s Most Dangerous Plant” Kills Curious Dog

A curious Staffordshire Bull Terrier died tragically because there was no cure for her wound. She had a blister that kept getting bigger and bigger until she had to be put down. The only thing that led to this heartbreaking fate was touching a plant at a park.
Now, the deceased dog’s human is warning others to beware of the plant known as “Britain’s Most Dangerous Plant.” While it’s rare to come across this invasive weed, all it takes is one touch for a life to be ruined. So, be cautious next time you walk your dog at a public park.

Curious Dog Experiences Unexpected Pain
When the tragedy began, Stuart Good was walking with his dog, Ella, and his friend, Clive Ransom. They explored the Port Sunlight River Park in Birkenhead, England. Ella went into the weeds to explore for a few moments, but then she let out a sudden yelp and ran as if something scared her.
No one thought anything of it at the time. The trio kept walking, and then they all went home. But shortly after, Good called Ransom and mentioned that Ella had a large blister under her front leg that he’d never seen before.
“She came out of the bushes yelping, we didn’t know what it was and she had a little blister about the size of a £1 coin under her front leg and that then developed,” Ransom explained. “The next day it was double the size and the next day it was double the size again. I said ‘right that’s it’ because Stuart doesn’t drive I took him to the vets.”

The vet said that the wound was caused by giant hogweed, which doesn’t have a cure. They prescribed painkillers, but all Good could do was give Ella some great final days and then say goodbye when she could no longer maintain a good quality of life.
Look out for Giant Hogweeds
Ella’s blister continued to grow until it took up half her side and became an open wound. At that point, Good made the heartbreaking decision to put the 13-year-old dog down.
“Stuart had to throw his bedding away. He loved the dog so much he had her in bed with him to keep her comfortable. It was devastating for him,” Ransom said.

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The Land Trust, which owns Port Sunlight River Park, is aware of this issue. They said they haven’t seen any giant hogweed in the park, but their rangers will continue to conduct health and safety checks. They also pointed out that there is common hogweed in their parks, which looks similar but isn’t threatening to humans or animals.
Good is warning other dog parents to keep an eye out for these life-threatening plants. Keeping your dog leashed on walks is a great way to prevent this incident from happening. Nothing will bring Ella back, but hopefully, the pup’s story will prevent more dogs from meeting this tragic fate.
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