Dog Eats Chocolate From Package Thrown Over Fence

A woman says her dog got sick after eating a box of chocolate thrown over her fence by a UPS driver

A Southern California dog owner said she plans to file a complaint with UPS to try to recoup the $450 in vet bills she paid to save her dog’s life after it chewed into a box of chocolates she believes was thrown over the fence by a deliveryman.

Linda Taylor said her German shepherd, Sarge, nearly died on Monday after tearing into a box and eating several pounds of chocolate -- poison for dogs -- that was inside.

When Taylor contacted UPS to complain, she said they denied responsibility and said the driver followed company protocols.

"Chocolate eclairs, chocolate truffles, chocolate brownies, chocolate cake," said Taylor, of Phelan. "They told me they weren't going to cover it. They don't cover perishables. They don't cover vet bills…”

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She took Sarge to the vet when he started acting strangely and it was touch and go for a while, she said. After 24 hours she was able to take her pet home.

Once there, she called UPS and demanded the company pay the $450 dollar vet bill.

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UPS spokeswoman Rhoda Daclison-Dickey said the driver placed the package over the fence to keep it out of the sun because it was labeled "perishable.”

Daclison-Dickey said the driver didn’t see the dogs, even though Taylor said she has surveillance video showing a truck pulling up to her home and the dog tearing up the chocolate box in the yard.

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"They're standing behind their driver and saying the driver did nothing wrong, but I ended up with a dog that was in the vet’s office and could have died,” Taylor said.

If customers have any special delivery requirements, all they need to do is contact UPS, the Daclison-Dickey said. But Taylor said she did that after her dogs chewed up a package delivered the previous week.

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