Green Algae In Hinkley Park Ponds Is Fatal To Dogs

A blue/green algae that is toxic to dogs has been found in the waters of South Portland's Hinkley Park, where local pups love to splash and frolic on hot days.

Please do not let your dog swim in or drink the water in the park. That might be hard when it gets hot out and they give you those pleading looks, but it's for their own good. This algae is deadly to dogs; at the very least it can cause nausea and serious skin problems. I know because I lived near the park; and we had to keep the dogs out of the water after going through terrible rashes and bouts of vomiting after they swam in the ponds.

According to the Dept. of Environmental Protection, the creepy looking goo is suspected to be cyanobacteria. The algae is also harmful to humans and has been found in Sabattus Pond and other bodies of water in Maine. If water looks green, murky or has a film on it, stay away.