DOG owners in the Hoddlesden area of Darwen are being warned to be on their guard after a pet labrador was killed by rat poison.

Petra, a healthy four-year-old belonging to Hoddlesden villager Bert Clarke, died on Monday as a result of eating the poison.

Mr Clarke's daughter Sandra Clarke of Brighton Terrace, Darwen, said: "Petra had been sick on the Wednesday, and just didn't seem herself.

"She was still eating and drinking but on the Saturday morning she was not responding to me at all.

"Normally she would wake me up and tell me she wanted to go out but she never moved and I thought there's something wrong here."

Petra was taken to Abbeydale Veterinary Centre, Preston New Road on Saturday and treated over the weekend.

Sandra said: "The vet said it was either a very, very severe form of anaemia or rat poisoning.

"I thought it has got to be the latter because Petra was a healthy dog - bouncy and young. On Monday the vet said it was definitely rat poising.

"Dad's absolutely gutted over this."

Mr Raymond Robinson, who was looking after Petra while Mr Clarke was on holiday, said he had walked Petra around Blacksnape playing fields, the fields next to Roman Road, the Victory Buildings at the Waterside and Jack's Key Lodge and she had been off the lead in the fields.

Linda Dawson, a trustee of Hoddlesden Millennium Green Trust, is now putting up posters in the area warning people what has happened.

She said: "Everybody is just gutted about what has happened. Bert and Petra were inseparable.

"He will be completely devastated about this and his holiday will have been ruined, I should think he just wants to come home."

A spokesman for the RSPCA said that it was quite unusual for a dog to die from a single dose of rat poison as it would have to be a very large dose to actually kill a dog.

It was possible Petra had been picking up the poison over a period of time while out on her walks and the poison had built up in her body.

She said the industry code of practice was to put the poison in containers only big enough for the intended animal to be killed.

She said: "Someone is not using it responsibly."

She added owners should keep a close eye on their dogs, especially as to what they might be eating while out on a walk.

Symptoms to watch out for include fits, depression, coughing, swelling of the abdomen and general withdrawn behaviour.