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Dog owner Ida Duncan was so distraught over a city plan to treat Terwillegar Park with herbicide last Friday morning, she parked herself in front of the city’s tractor and refused to move for two hours.

She gained at least a partial victory. Managers were called and the tractor turned around rather than escalate the confrontation. They promised to return, but on the weekend, several rare plant experts slipped in, found the small white flowers of the locally rare Senecaroot, and convinced city crews they must hit the brakes and reconsider.

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“I just feel really strongly about this,” said Duncan, concerned for the four dogs she regularly walks in the park.

“Some places should just be left alone,” she said. “If this stuff isn’t toxic, why do (workers) need to be all suited up?”

Dr. Luning Zhou, veterinarian at the Lakeview Animal Hospital, said herbicides can cause vomiting and convulsions in dogs if they’re exposed to higher concentrations. She recommended keeping pets off treated lawns for several days, but she couldn’t say what effect exposure would have with the amount Edmonton is planning to use.