Family’s dog dies after ingesting amphetamines

PALMER, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - A family in Alaska is mourning the loss of one of their dogs after she died from ingesting amphetamines.

Krysta Voskowsky said she would whistle to her cat and two dogs to call them to bed every night.

“My partner and I would climb into bed and all of us would pile on the bed, and would do belly rubs and snuggles,” Voskowsky told KTUU.

She said her household of pets were like her family. Voskowsky and her husband adopted 4-year-old Mishka from their neighbor a little over a year ago to join their other dog, Ted, and their cat, Benjamin.

“Mishka felt part dog, part guardian angel, part long lost kid,” Voskowsky said.

Voskowsky said Mishka brought playful energy and light into their home. However, she said there is now a silence that lingers throughout their halls, and there’s one less fur baby to cuddle with the couple at night.

“I miss hearing her little paw at the door. I miss hearing the jingle of her collar as she follows the cat around the house,” Voskowsky said.

On March 1, Voskowsky left to go to a dentist appointment. Like she had done plenty of times before, she allowed her dogs to stay in the fenced backyard, figuring they would be safe, she said.

About two hours later, Voskowsky returned and noticed that something was not right with Mishka.

“She just looked kind of lethargic,” Voskowsky said. “But … I didn’t think anything was wrong right away.”

A few hours later, Voskowsky said Mishka started struggling to walk and began losing her balance.

Voskowsky and her partner took Mishka to the vet that night, where veterinarians tried to figure out what was wrong with their dog. Right before they tried to take a urine analysis, Mishka went into cardiac arrest.

Veterinarians attempted to bring her back for 30 minutes but were unsuccessful.

“The doctor came in and said she [Mishka] did pop positive for amphetamines,” Voskowsky said.

This is not the first case of a pet ingesting amphetamines the Palmer Police Department has seen this year. They said within the past two weeks, two other dogs had a similar experience.

In a statement, the department said they received a report from a resident on Ellen Street who took two of her pets to the vet “due to strange behavior.” One incident was on Feb. 25 and the other was on March 1.

“The vet drew blood from the first animal and had it tested. The vet allegedly determined there may have been amphetamines and THC in the blood,” the department said. “The second animal was not tested the same way, but the assumption was made it was the same prognosis due to similar behavior.”

Voskowsky said her own animal’s diagnosis has left her with fears and unanswered questions.

“I don’t leave the house much. I don’t let the dog out unattended,” Voskowsky said. “It’s all I can do but stand in the window and speculate.”

Palmer police and the Mat-Su Animal Shelter both said they are investigating the situation.

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