A Chicago woman says rat poison placed near the dog park at Lake Shore East Park nearly killed her two-year-old papillion, Pierre.

Paula Woodley told Fox Chicago that Pierre began foaming at the mouth and coughing up blood, which doctors immediately identified as signs of rat poison ingestion. Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said the poison was scattered by a nearby condo associations, not the city, and had the poison removed, but not before Woodley racked up $9,000 in medical bills on Pierre's recovery.

In March, which is Pet Poisoning Awareness Month, squirrel poison scattered in the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods killed at least four area dogs. Veterinarians warned pet owners to be on the lookout for the pellet-shaped toxin, which resembles ground beef and is illegal to leave out in the city.

Pet owners also had a scare last October, when a Facebook thread was posted warning that cheese cubes containing nails had been scattered at area dog parks. The alerts were dispelled as a rumor after no incidents were reported.