Elsa the greyhound was a happy, active dog before she was poisoned in 2020.
Share this @internewscast.com

It was love at first sight when Yvette Colomb spotted Elsa on a greyhound adoption site.

Originally a racing dog, Elsa was on the brink of euthanasia until Colomb stepped in, saving her and granting her a renewed lease on life, only for her to be tragically poisoned a few years afterward.

It was 2020 and they were on a property about an hour north of Sydney when Elsa suddenly started to vomit.

Elsa the greyhound was a happy, active dog before she was poisoned in 2020.
Elsa the greyhound was a happy, active dog before she was poisoned in 2020. (Supplied)

Colomb immediately put Elsa in the back of the car and raced to Sydney, where her daughter took Elsa straight to the emergency vet.

“I remember I looked at her and it was the last time I looked at her before she was quite disabled,” Colomb told 9news.com.au.

By the time Elsa arrived at the vet, she’d vomited again, suffered a seizure and had to be put on life support.

That’s when the vet called Colomb and revealed her dog had been poisoned.

Elsa had accidentally ingested sodium fluoroacetate poison baits, better known as 1080.

The poison is commonly deployed throughout Australia to control populations of foxes, rabbits, wild dogs, and feral cats by lacing food items that are then left for these animals to consume.

Vets doubted Elsa would survive after ingesting a 1080 poison bait.
Vets doubted Elsa would survive after ingesting a 1080 poison bait. (Supplied)

Derived from a naturally occurring compound found in multiple Australian plants, some Australian animals have developed a tolerance to 1080.

Dogs may also ingest these baits and be poisoned, causing frenzied running, uncontrollable vomiting, howling, confusion, coma and even death.

Just a few milligrams of 1080 can be lethal to most dogs and there’s no antidote, though vet treatment can aid a dog’s survival.

“The vet said, ‘very few animals survive it and it’s very unlikely that Elsa will survive,'” Colomb said.

Although she didn’t have pet insurance, Colomb begged the vet to do anything to save her dog – and he did.

Elsa's vet bill was almost $20,000 after the poisoning.
Elsa’s vet bill was almost $20,000 after the poisoning. (Supplied)

Miraculously, Elsa pulled through.

She spent almost two weeks at the emergency vet and needed additional rehabilitation, resulting in a $20,000 bill.

Colomb paid about $8000 out of her own pocket and fundraised the rest, then set up a Facebook page dedicated to Elsa’s recovery and to warn other dog owners.

Despite surviving the 1080 poisoning, Elsa was left permanently disabled. 

“When we brought her home, it was almost like having an enormous newborn baby,” Colomb said.

“She was totally bedridden and it was around-the-clock care for her … it took her months to learn to walk again.”

The care for Elsa was costly—requiring hydrotherapy and a specialized diet for several months post-poisoning—but like many Australians, Colomb expressed she would go to great lengths for her beloved dog.

Elsa walked with a wobble and had mobility issues for the rest of her life, but her health really started to decline in 2025.

Elsa needed hydrotherapy and a special diet to help her recover from the poisoning.
Elsa needed hydrotherapy and a special diet to help her recover from the poisoning. (Supplied)

She died at home in Colomb’s arms in June.

“She was like lying flat against me, and she had her head against my chest, and I just patted every very gently,” Colomb said.

Devastated by the loss, she took comfort from the 10,000 animal lovers who had followed Elsa’s story in her Facebook group.

Now she’s campaigning to outlaw the baits that almost killed Elsa five years ago, left her disabled and cost the family thousands in vet care.

Access to 1080 is highly restricted in Australia and its use is regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), state and territory government agencies and local land management authorities.

Use of the poison varies across the country and baits are tailored to the target species and the local ecosystem.

But scientists and animal rights groups disagree on how ‘humane’ 1080 is and after seeing how Elsa suffered, Colomb doesn’t want any animal – pet or pest – to go through the same thing.
Yvette Colomb has started a petition to ban 1080 baits in Elsa's memory.
Yvette Colomb has started a petition to ban 1080 baits in Elsa’s memory. (Supplied)

“It’s a horrible way to die and I understand that foxes need to be taken care of, but I think we need to do it in a responsible and humane way,” Colomb said.

“I don’t think we can just drop poison into our environment and hope for the best.”

She started a Change.org petition that has already attracted more than 3000 signatures and plans to petition Federal Parliament to reconsider the use of 1080 across the country.

Colomb’s only regret is not taking action and campaigning for a ban on 1080 sooner.

“Why did I wait so long? I need to make Elsa’s memory count.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Houses in an outer suburb.

Australia’s Property Market Faces $42 Billion Setback: What It Means for Homeowners and Investors

The latest study, unveiled today by the Climate Council in collaboration with…
Dayna Lynch - Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Dayna Seeks $20,000 for Rare Surgery to Restore Arm Functionality

Exclusive Report: A Melbourne artist is facing the possibility of losing the…
Gregor Townsend says he will scale back his Red Bull role if it begins to affect Scotland

Townsend’s Red Bull Role Could Impact Scotland’s Test Success: Fans Demand Results

During a press briefing yesterday, Gregor Townsend momentarily feigned frustration as he…

Rising Living Costs Hit Australians Hard: Unveiling a Larger Issue

Cost of living spikes continue to push living standards down. To learn…
Shane Hryhorec has been using a wheelchair for the past 18 years and ran into an ironic and glaring issue at Health and Disability Minister Mark Butler's office in Port Adelaide.

Accessibility Fail: Shocking Barrier Encountered at Disability Minister’s Office

For nearly two decades, Shane Hryhorec has navigated life in a wheelchair,…
Diane Sheehan gave birth in September 1976 but was told her baby had died. She wasn't able to hold him

Heartbreaking Reunion: Mother Discovers Truth 42 Years After Losing Newborn

As I clicked open the email, I was suddenly thrust back over…
Hannah Thomas was badly injured following an anti-Israel protest in Sydney's west.

Shocking Twist: Officer Faces Fresh Charges in Assault Case Involving Ex-Greens Candidate

A police officer already facing legal proceedings for allegedly assaulting former Greens…

Australian Homeowners Face $42 Billion Financial Burden: What It Means for You

Homeowners in flood zones are paying “a disaster penalty”, with a new…

Ley Urges Decisive Action on Rudd, Criticizes Prime Minister’s Handling of Trump Tariff Issue

Opposition leader Sussan Ley says Kevin Rudd’s position as ambassador to the…
James Vlassakis arrives at the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Attorney-General Demands Urgent Review: Controversial Parole Decision for Infamous Snowtown Killer Under Scrutiny

The South Australian attorney-general has taken steps to challenge the recent decision…
Wild weather in Victoria

Victoria and SA Prepare for Intense Cyclonic Winds and Severe Weather Conditions

Residents throughout south-east Victoria, including those in Melbourne, are bracing for severe…
Emergency Landing

Unexpected Mid-Air Mystery: Pilot Diverts Flight After Hearing Eerie Knocking on Cockpit Door

An American Airlines flight, operated by SkyWest Airlines, made an emergency landing…