How did Rasher die?

On Thursday 8 October Rasher accompanied the SOS Rangers to work as usual, where he often sat inside the hatchery or made friends with the Riu Funana Hotel Sal Cape Verde guests as they listened to Neal's presentation about turtles in Cabo Verde. At around 5pm he jumped into the hatchery and lay down. Five minutes later, Neal and the horrified guests saw him flip up into the air and land heavily on his back where he had a massive convulsion. In desperation Neal carried him to a nearby hosepipe and attempted to force water into him in an effort to flush the poison from his body. Neal knew right away that it was strychnine poisoning, as two other dogs had died that day in similar circumstances.

It was too late, Rasher was already dead.

Rasher was a healthy 30kg dog (the weight of a 10 year old child). The dose that killed him within 10 minutes must have been massive.

Rasher could not have been mistaken for a stray as he always wore a collar with a name tag and our phone number attached.

For Neal the pain continues, since he cannot get the image of his beloved friend dying in agony or hear the thud as Rasher hit the ground. Even worse, despite being a nurse, he could not do anything to save him.

Neal is passionate about saving turtles in Cabo Verde and is a gifted presenter, working every day at the hatchery convincing everyone who would listen that everybody needs to help to prevent the extinction of turtles in Cabo Verde. This side of Neal's life is over, since he feels completely unable to set foot in the place where Rasher died. Anyone who heard him speak will know that this a great loss to turtles and to conservation.