A community park in Douglas County is closed while crews investigate why four dogs died suddenly after visiting it. 

The Newlin Meadows HOA began receiving reports of dogs getting sick after going to Newlin Meadows Park on May 25. By May 26, the park was closed and four dogs were dead. 

According to an Instagram post from the Denver-based animal rescue, A Friend of Jack, two of the dogs died while they were still at the park, one developed seizures and later died, and the fourth was pronounced dead in the rescue’s emergency room. 

“We’re so saddened to hear this and have been working with public officials since the first report to determine whether this could be caused by something in or around the park. We have checked the park thoroughly and did not find anything out of the ordinary,” the HOA said in a Facebook post. 

They were able to confirm that the problem is not related to anything used by their landscaping company or pest control service. According to a report by CBS Colorado, the Douglas County Health Department is investigating what could have caused these deaths. 

A Friend of Jack has advised investigators to check the park for mushrooms, hops, and algae, their post reads. 

If your pet has recently visited Newlin Meadows Park and is sick, you should take them to the vet immediately. You can also report the incident to the Newlins Meadows HOA or the Parker Police Department. You should also report anything unusual or suspicious near the park. 

The Douglas County Health Department made the following statement to OTC via email: 

“We acknowledge and share in the grief felt by pet parents for the loss of their beloved pet, as we continue to work with the Newlin Gulch HOA to determine if there is a naturally occurring substance in the park or if the dogs had been exposed to a man-made, synthetic toxin that was ingested there. In the absence of veterinary test results, there is no way to conclusively determine cause of death. We applaud the HOA for their continued diligence and for proactively closing the park until further notice.”