STOUGHTON, Mass. — Stoughton officials are investigating after a dog died following a swim at Ames Pond earlier this week.
In a statement, the Town of Stoughton said it was saddened to learn of the animal’s death and that health officials are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Officials noted that Ames Pond beach is tested weekly in accordance with state requirements for recreational bathing beaches and has not recorded any E. coli exceedances so far this season.
[ 50 Massachusetts beaches are closed ahead of the weekend. See the list ]
Ames Pond is an 86-acre body of water on the border of Stoughton and Easton at 1000 Highland Street, serving as a supervised public swimming and recreation area.
However, town officials cautioned that harmful algae blooms can develop quickly under the right conditions, even between scheduled water quality tests. Exposure to algae blooms can cause illness in people and may be deadly to pets.
The town said it will continue to monitor water quality, conduct testing, and report any exceedances.
In the meantime, residents are being urged to consider keeping their pets out of the pond until more information is available.
Officials have not yet confirmed whether an algae bloom or another environmental factor contributed to the dog’s death.
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