25/04/2026
Jemma Ladwitch’s three-year-old springer spaniel, Bobby, died just a few hours after their visit to a local tulip festival in Pontefract, Yorkshire and now Ladwitch wants to spread awareness of just how toxic some plants can be in Bobby’s memory.
Tulips, and other bulb flowers, are toxic to pets if ingested, although poisoning cases are said to be rare.
Bobby began exhibiting signs of distress shortly after they left the festival. Ladwitch says it began with erratic breathing and panting, and then Bobby became lethargic and began drooling. When they took him to the emergency vet, the vet was able to explain that tulips are highly toxic to dogs — a fact Bobby’s owner did not know beforehand.
She wants to raise awareness for the sake of other pet parents who may not know the dangers. “I don’t want any dog owners to take that risk again. I want to save lives now in Bobby’s memory.”
Farmer Copleys, where Jemma and Bobby visited, has released a statement since this incident stating that dogs will be banned from the tulip festival for the rest of the season as a precautionary measure for the safety of visitors and their pets.
Many on social media expressed a desire to see the farm do just that, ban dogs from their premises to avoid risk, and other commenters think that responsibility lies solely with the dog owners. What are your thoughts? Is this the first time you've heard of tulips being toxic?
