Antifreeze Bittering Act - In the News
House Committee Passes Antifreeze Bill
July 12, 2006 (Washington, DC) -- Today the U.S. House
Commerce committee held a favorable mark-up and passed
the Antifreeze Bittering Act (H.R. 2567). Earlier this
year, a subcommittee hearing was held in the U.S. House
Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
where DDAL presented testimony in support of H.R. 2567.
In November 2005 the Senate Commerce Committee favorably
reported out of committee the Engine Coolant and Antifreeze
Bittering Agent Act.
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Recent Antifreeze Poisoning Cases
This compendium is based on news reports DDAL has received,
not on an exhaustive search of databases. Animal
poisonings are listed first, followed by human
poisonings.
ANIMAL
POISONING CASES
This selection of cases includes both intentional and accidental
poisonings. Annual estimate is 10,000 animals are poisoned by
antifreeze; one survey placed the number of animal deaths at
90,000.
September 11, 2006 (South Brunswick, NJ):
Three dogs died and three were fighting for their lives after
being deliberately poisoned by antifreeze-laced hamburger thrown
into their yard.
August 31, 2006 (Madison, WI): Appeals court
reduced the damages a jury had awarded a man whose neighbor
fatally poisoned his dog with antifreeze in 2003.
August 4, 2006 (Gautier, MS): During the investigation
of the torture of one puppy, it was dis-covered that 3 of his
littermates were killed with antifreeze.
July 20, 2006 (Athens, GA): Police arrested
a woman accused of killing her neighbor’s dog with antifreeze-tainted
food and causing another dog to get sick, also allegedly from
antifreeze.
June 2006 (Lake Charles, LA): Laura Babineaux talks
to KPLC-TV about the death of her dog, Bella, from possibly
intentional antifreeze poisoning.
June 19, 2006 (Roanoke, VA): A man faces a
felony animal cruelty charge for the alleged fatal poisoning
of his neighbor’s dog with antifreeze.
June 15, 2006 (Mifflinburg, PA): Police are
investigating the fatal antifreeze poisoning of a mother cat
and her two kittens.
May 2006 (Wichita, KS): Yetie, an 8-year-old
golden retriever, had to be euthanized after suffering kidney
failure as a result of antifreeze poisoning. Her owner learned
that the same thing had happened to her neighbor’s dog
10 months earlier.
May 24, 2006 (Millersville, MD): Two dogs
were poisoned, and one had to be euthanized, after ingesting
biscuits that had been soaked in antifreeze. The biscuits were
found in their backyard.
May 24, 2006 (WI): The Wisconsin SPCA posted
a warning about an “animal abuser who is attempting to
get a dog.” The posting noted that before checking herself
into a mental health facility, this woman “fed antifreeze
to 2 of her 5 dogs and to 2 of her cats who all died at Milwaukee
Area Animal Domestic Control. After she got out of the mental
institution, she poisoned her only remaining 3 dogs with antifreeze.
All 3 died at the Bluemound Animal Hospital.” She has
a history of adopting animals, then poisoning them and claiming
someone else had done it.
May 23, 2006 (Bangor, ME): WABI-TV Channel
5 reports that a “rash of pet poisonings has continued.
The latest case was reported in Anson where two dogs had to
be put to sleep after drinking anti-freeze.” Cans of antifreeze
were left on the owners’ properties.
May 12, 2006 (Pflugerville, TX): One family’s
3 dogs deliberately poisoned with antifreeze by unknown person.
May 6, 2006 (Knox, TX): The Times Record
News publishes a story on new cases of intentional poisonings
of dogs. It was reported that antifreeze killed two other dogs
in March.
May 5, 2006 (Bartlett, TN): On March 31, Mickey,
a sheltie belonging to the Thompson family, died of antifreeze
poisoning.
May 2, 2006 (Tampa Bay, FL): Man in Lutz,
FL, charged for the second time with animal cruelty; police
reported that “a bowl was found in [his] back yard full
of a deadly mixture of dog food and antifreeze.”
April 29, 2006 (Livingston Co., NY): “Investigators
in Livingston County are working to find the person or persons
intentionally poisoning dogs with antifreeze…” A
Cornell University toxicologist “found chunks of meat
that were not digested and that were laced with a large dose
of antifreeze.” (WHAM Ch. 13, Rochester, NY, Apr. 29,
2006)
April 22, 2006 (Britt, MN): The Mesabi
Daily News reports on a of lack of progress in the finding
person(s) responsible for causing the deaths of 3 dogs last
fall by lacing hot dogs with antifreeze.
April 22, 2006 (Lutz, FL): A 16-year-old dog
died after eating from a bowl in a neighbor’s yard. A
bowl matching the description was found to contain dog food
mixed with engine coolant.
April 3, 2006 (Anderson Co., TN): Several
animals in one neighborhood have died, apparently as a result
of antifreeze poisoning. Tests confirmed antifreeze poisoning
as the cause of death for 3 cats; other pets who died exhibited
signs of having ingested antifreeze.
April 2006 (Stockton Springs, ME): A family
forced to euthanize its dog and cat after they were both poisoned
with antifreeze by an unknown person.
March 30, 2006 (Abbott, ME): Local authorities
are investigating the suspicious deaths of two dogs, who may
have ingested antifreeze-tainted meat. Two other dogs survived.
March 23, 2006 (Millvale, PA): A 2-1/2 year
old terrier was euthanized after ingesting antifreeze, which
surrounded a drain behind the house.
March 10, 2006 (TN): A story is published
in The Tennessean paper on coping with the loss of
a pet including the story of a woman forced to euthanize her
beloved dog after he accidentally ingested antifreeze.
February 10, 2006 (U.S. Virgin Islands): At
least five pets - two dogs and three cats - have died in the
last two weeks from antifreeze poisoning, according to veterinarians.
While noting that antifreeze poisoning is a common accident,
one of the vets said this many deaths in such a short period
could be “malicious.” The owner of one of the dogs
said that several dogs in his neighborhood had died recently.
January 12, 2006 (PA): The Calisiti family’s
two dogs, Duke, a 7-year-old beagle-Lab mix, and Bailey, a 3-year-old
yellow Lab, had to be euthanized after ingesting antifreeze.
It is not yet known whether these were deliberate or accidental
poisonings.
January 11, 2006 (Sudbury, VT): According
to police, the dog's owner let the two dogs, a collie and a
corgi, out on their property on the morning of Jan. 11, 2006;
when the dogs returned, they were severely vomiting. The dogs
were rushed to the vet, who diagnosed antifreeze poisoning.
Both dogs were euthanized the following day as a result of the
poisoning. Authorities to believe the dogs may have been intentionally
poisoned.
January 2006 (LA): Discovery of 13 cats in
New Orleans who had died of antifreeze poisoning.
December 2005 (GA): Death of 10 year-year
old chow-mix, Buster.
December 3, 2005 (Tyler, TX): The Morgan family’s
dog, a chow-retriever mix, and the Smith family’s two
dogs, a bull mastiff and a Jack Russell terrier, all died after
ingesting antifreeze. The cases are being treated as intentional
poisonings.
December 1, 2005 (Avoca, IA): Police officer’s
K-9 drug dog was poisoned with antifreeze. Dog recovered.
November 29, 2005 (Cornelius, NC): Woman charged
with cruelty and disorderly conduct for poisoning neighbor’s
cat with antifreeze; cat expected to recover.
November 10, 2005 (Spanaway, WA): Judge rejects
plea deal in case of woman charged with poisoning neighbor’s
3 cats with antifreeze, determining that she should go to trial
on the 3 felony charges.
November 3, 2005 (Bellevue, NE): A couple’s
2 huskies died after eating antifreeze-tainted meat.
October 26,2005 (Belle Vernon, PA): Police
investigating 2 recent dog poisonings, one definitely attributable
to antifreeze, the other undetermined as of yet.
October 20, 2005 (Palm Bay, FL): Ducks poisoned
by antifreeze left open on a patio.
August 28, 2005 (Bryan-College Station, TX):
12 dogs within 5 blocks of one another die after ingesting antifreeze.
August 17, 2005 (Ketchikan, AK): Couple writes
of the death of their black lab from ingesting antifreeze that
had been spilled on a boat ramp.
July 31, 2005 (Hickory, NC): Dog dies after
ingesting antifreeze. (Not able to ascertain whether intentional
or accidental poisoning.)
July 19, 2005 (Elgin, AZ): 2 of 3 family dogs
die from antifreeze poisoning; 3rd dog disappears.
July 18, 2005 (Mt. Oliver, PA): Antifreeze
suspected in deaths of 3 dogs on the same block.
April 2005 (Rankin, MS): 2, possibly 3, dogs
die as a result of antifreeze poisoning.
February 17, 2005 (Jacksonville, FL): Man
admits to killing neighbor’s dog with antifreeze.
January 2, 2005 (Orlando, FL): 2 dogs in same
neighborhood die after eating antifreeze-laced food.
August 2004 (Voluntown, CT): Neighbor confessed
to setting out antifreeze-tainted meat in order to poison neighbor’s
cats. One cat died.
July 2004 (Missoula, MT): Family dog poisoned
by antifreeze; dying dog rushed to the airport where the son
was readying to ship out with the National Guard so he could
say goodbye.
HUMAN
POISONING CASES
May 31, 2006 (E. Baton Rouge, LA): A three-year-old
boy died after drinking antifreeze left in a cup on a bedroom
dresser by his father’s girlfriend. The intended use of
the antifreeze was to poison some dogs hanging around the house.
The woman was booked on one count of negligent homicide.
April 2006 (Milwaukee, WI): The state Supreme
Court will rule on the admissibility of evidence in the trial
of a man accused of murdering his wife, who died from a lethal
dose of ethylene glycol.
February 9, 2006 (Anne Arundel Co., MD): Firing
of police officer upheld for failing to obtain medical care
for prisoner who later died from having ingested antifreeze
(had already ingested it at the time of his arrest for drunk
driving).
February 2, 2006 (Tallahassee, FL): Story
about bribery case against former FL Senate president and Escambia
Co. commissioner noted that a fellow county commissioner who
had testified against him committed suicide by drinking antifreeze.
January 27, 2006 (Pittsburgh, PA): Terry Long,
a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, committed suicide
by drinking antifreeze, and did not die as a direct result of
football-related head injuries as first reported.
January 11, 2006 (Marietta, GA): Judge denied
request for new trial for woman convicted of killing her policeman
husband with antifreeze in 1995. She is scheduled to be tried
later in the 2001 antifreeze poisoning death of her firefighter
boyfriend.
November 16, 2005 (Orlando, FL): A Lake Mary
area woman faces a charge of attempted murder after authorities
accused her of giving her husband a glass of antifreeze, Seminole
County deputy sheriffs said today.
November 14, 2005 (Marietta, GA): Request
made for new trial for woman convicted of killing her husband
with antifreeze in 1995. Request based on introduction during
the first trial of evidence that she had killed her boyfriend
with antifreeze in 1989. She is scheduled to be tried later
in the antifreeze poisoning death of her boyfriend in 2001.
November 10, 2005 (Cambridge, MA): MO talk
show host arraigned in MA court accused of killing wife in 2004
(when they lived in MA) by spiking her Gatorade with antifreeze
over a period of time.
November 3, 2005 (Kansas City, KS): A couple
accused last year of trying to kill the mayor of Edwardsville
and her family with tainted cupcakes and root beer laced with
antifreeze were sentenced Thursday to probation.
October 21, 2005 (Belton, MO): Police arrest
woman in CA for 1993 antifreeze poisoning death of her husband.
July 2004 (Shamong Twp., NJ): Woman charged
with killing her brother-in-law by spiking his fruit drink with
antifreeze.
In 2003: Ingestions of antifreeze by children
between the ages of 6 and 19: 1,395. No deaths reported.
In 2002: Intentional antifreeze ingestions/suicides:
21
