...The Herald understands a council officer and a public health officer checked the beach where the dogs became ill but found nothing.
They cleared seaweed from the beach as a precaution, but, when they did not receive any further reports, concluded that the danger had passed - perhaps after a deliberate poisoning.
Dogs were purposely poisoned last year when sausages laced with a blue substance were left in Auckland parks.
But authorities believe a natural toxin is more likely to be behind the latest illnesses.
Stomach contents of a beagle that died after walking on Narrow Neck beach in early July were sent to MAF for testing. But it was not until a second dog died three weeks later on Monday after walking on the same beach that a public warning was issued.
Dog owners were angry they were not warned sooner, with reports of dogs becoming ill at Waiheke Island, Browns Bay and Karaka Beach in the Eastern suburbs....
