The devastated family of a dog who tragically died after eating poison is urging others to be vigilant.

Tonka, a six-year-old lurcher, died hours after he picked up what his family believe to be rat poison, while out walking in Frizington last week.

Mary Pearson, whose uncle Chris owns Tonka, wants other dog owners to be careful and is pleading with people who put down rat poison to be cautious.

The 24-year-old is extremely close to her uncle, who lives at Lindow Street, and often walks Tonka herself.

They believe he picked up the poison in a piece of ham around the Rydal Street, Yeathouse Road or Priory Close area of the village.

"Tonka goes every single morning for a walk with my uncle near to where we live," she said.

"He doesn't walk him on a lead as he's very well trained."

Following his walk, Tonka was sick a few times during the day, but seemed to perk up a little at night.

But when Chris work up just before 4am to start work the following morning, he discovered he had died.

"It's so upsetting," said Mary. "I'm extremely close to my uncle and he's a massive animal lover, to lose an animal that way is shocking.

"Tonka was a lovely dog, he was so placid and friendly and so affectionate.

"People need to be warned, if they are putting poison down for a different purpose, they need to be careful."

Mary and Chris believe that Tonka died from poisoning as in his sick were chunks of ham, which they had not fed him.

They are unsure if he picked the ham up himself, or was fed it deliberately.

After taking Tonka to the vet, they are now waiting results which could determine what kind of poison was used.

Mary said the vet believes Tonka was poisoned as he showed obvious signs.

"His body had swollen to three times its normal size after he died and blood was coming out of everywhere – his mouth, nose, ears," she said.

Mary is now raising the dangers of poison, adding it could quite easily have been a child who picked it up.

"If anything comes out from this, I just hope people realise how dangerous poisons are to animals that aren't meant to be poisoned and that they use it safely," added Mary.