Are discarded joints endangering dogs at Arlington parks?

Discarded marijuana joints in local parks are raising some concerns about the safety of Arlingtonians’ furry friends.

“In some of Arlington’s parks we need to be more vigilant to protect our dogs from accidental marijuana ingestion,” Ann Marie Douglass wrote in an article for the Arlington Neighborhood News Exchange, which distributes resident-written content to civic association newsletters across the county.

“Dogs are grabbing one of the little joints (‘roaches’) littered in the woods and consuming them.”

It’s unclear how common this is locally. Arlington County police, the county’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation and the Animal Welfare League of Arlington all told ARLnow that they have received no recent reports of any incidents like this.

But Douglass speaks from personal experience.

About a year ago, she said her 35-pound Bernedoodle, Buckley, became heavily intoxicated after he apparently ingested some discarded marijuana while on a walk near Four Mile Run. Douglass knew something was wrong when she came home to find him sleepy and frequently falling over.

She took him to a vet, who informed her, “He’s obviously high.”

Douglass said one of her biggest concerns was making sure Buckley got enough water. The vet offered to hook him up to an IV drip overnight for about $800 — but instead, she opted to take him home and flavor his water with bone broth to ensure he drank enough.

“I was with him the whole night, making him drink, picking him up to take him outside to pee and stuff like that,” Douglass said.

Afterwards, she said she commiserated with her neighbor, who’d had a similar experience with her own dog.

Then, a few weeks ago, Douglass stumbled on several marijuana products, including three discarded butts, in Glencarlyn Park. She said she finds similar paraphernalia “all the time” as she picks up litter.

Nationwide, reported cases of pet marijuana ingestion increased by 300% between 2018 and 2023 as restrictions on cannabis have loosened in many states, the Associated Press reported.

However, Alan Wile, a prolific trash collector at Glencarlyn Park, told ARLnow that he has not personally noticed any cannabis products while picking up litter almost every day for the past four years.

“Not to say it isn’t there — I just haven’t seen it,” he said.

Regardless of how common it is locally, AWLA spokesperson Chelsea Jones said that “dogs ingesting marijuana can and does happen.”

“While typically not life-threatening, the ingestion of marijuana can lead to symptoms like unsteadiness, depression, dilated pupils, sensitivity to sound and touch, slow heart rate, low body temperature, etc.,” she said. “If a pet gets into a product that has a higher concentration of marijuana or larger amounts, more serious symptoms can occur such as low blood pressure, seizures, or aspiration. In rare cases, pets have died.”

She advised pet owners to contact their veterinarian or call the Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 if they believe their pet has ingested cannabis or THC products.

Douglass, for her part, wants to be clear that she’s not opposed to marijuana use. On the contrary, she said, “weed is wonderful.”

But she encourages Arlington residents to be vigilant about the possibility of their dogs accidentally eating cannabis products, and to pick up discarded joints if they see them.

“Just be aware that it can be out there, and that your dog can sniff it out, ingest it, and it can cause major — not a fun day,” she said.

About the Author

  • Dan Egitto

    Dan Egitto covers a wide range of topics at ARLnow, with a particular focus on county government and development news. Originally from Central Florida, he graduated from Duke University and previously reported at the Palatka Daily News in Florida and the Vallejo Times-Herald in California. Dan joined ARLnow in January 2024.

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