A couple suspects their dog's death may be connected to exposure to an orange substance on contaminated land near Wrexham. Donna and Pete O'Brien reported that their dog, Misty, experienced a rapid decline in health after encountering a swampy pool close to the Cefn Viaduct in December 2019.
Misty, who was four years old at the time of exposure, developed periodic diarrhoea and vomiting, and by 2024, an ultrasound revealed a growth, believed to be a tumour, on her heart, a condition affecting only 0.19% of dogs. The couple believes this is linked to historical chemical dumping, which was featured in the BBC's Buried documentary that premiered in August 2026.
Pete and Donna O'Brien are advocating for the examination of pet medical records to identify potential clusters of rare illnesses, suggesting that pet health data could provide evidence of the impact of "forever chemicals" due to animals developing illnesses quicker than humans. Councillor Derek Wright raised these concerns at a Wrexham council meeting, calling for significant changes to the monitoring and management of the contaminated sites near Ty Mawr Country Park. A spokesperson for Wrexham council stated that investigations indicated deposits came from mining activity and that they are satisfied no further action is required.