Heartbroken dog owners blame pet’s death on weed killer overspray by neighboring utility

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) - A dog’s heartbroken owners have filed a damage claim against a public utility in Nebraska after they allege their beloved pet died due to oversprayed weed killer.

Chris Keating alleges Rush, his 5-year-old German rottweiler, got sick a few weeks after the Omaha Public Power District sprayed weeds along its fence line.

“That’s where I believe the spray came in,” Keating said.

Rush’s kennel stood here for years before the OPPD facility got built next door, and Keating says the utility has been a good neighbor until this past August.

“They notified us every year before they would spray, and this year, they did not notify us,” Keating said.

Unaware of the danger, Keating left Rush in the kennel, which is owned by Sandy Nekuda. Outside photos show a weed killer pattern on both sides of the fence and green land turned brown on Nekuda’s property.

“You get over here to where they’re never supposed to spray without telling me, and oh my God, it’s oversprayed horrible. Why?” Nekuda said.

Not long after, Keating rushed Rush to Omaha Animal Hospital, where Dr. Luke Berglund removed the dog’s spleen, expecting a full recovery.

“I’ve been a vet for 23 years, and every splenic hematoma I’ve removed, the dog has lived a happy, healthy life,” Berglund said.

But even after a blood transfusion, Rush got worse.

“There are a lot of things that can cause autoimmune disease in animals. I’m not saying these chemicals did that, but it is pretty odd that all this stuff started happening after they had the kennel sprayed,” Berglund said.

After a month of suffering, Rush had to be euthanized, Keating says.

“It broke my heart. He was like my kid,” he said.

Though there’s no absolute proof that the weed killer is the cause of Rush’s death, Keating filed a damage claim with OPPD for vet bills and potential lost revenue. Rush earned stud fees of $1,500 for each breeding four times a year, but Nekuda says it’s not just about money.

“He was a member of our family,” she said.

When asked what they want to see happen in the case, both Keating and Nekuda said they “don’t want them to spray nobody else and kill their dog, allegedly. We don’t want them allegedly spraying here again.”

OPPD says it is working on a settlement with Keating. A spokesperson for the utility says there’s no timetable for a claim investigation.

“Our hearts go out to Mr. Keating. We know how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet. We have spoken with him and are working together to find a resolution. OPPD is reviewing its vegetation management procedures to ensure that we are thoughtfully considering the wellbeing of pets in our communities,” said the utility in a statement.