Police have issued an urgent warning after suspected poisoned meat was discovered in two of Kensington and Chelsea’s best known green spaces — leaving animals seriously ill and others dead.

The Metropolitan Police say chicken believed to be laced with toxins has been found in both Brompton Cemetery and Holland Park over several days, sparking alarm among dog owners.

One dog is reported to have eaten the meat and became “very unwell”, while two foxes were found dead in the cemetery with no obvious signs of injury.

The grim discovery has triggered outrage among regular park users. One woman who walks her dog in Brompton Cemetery said: “I’m totally disgusted. I can’t even imagine why anyone would do that.”

Another added: “It’s absolutely horrendous. I’m not sure if someone’s doing it for a spiteful reason.
It will stop people coming to the park with their dogs.”

Police are urging owners to stay alert and stop pets scavenging while in the area. In Brompton Cemetery, officers have reminded the public that dogs must be kept on leads at all times — a rule now taking on new urgency.

Detectives believe the meat may have been deliberately planted to harm animals, with foxes — or even dogs — potentially the target. One walker told The Citizen that she had heard reports that cemetery gardeners had found “dog toys and food covered in white powder” on one side of the grounds.

The stakes are high in two green spaces used daily by hundreds of residents. Similar poisoning scares have surfaced across the UK in recent years, with dogs falling ill — and in some cases dying — after eating contaminated food left in parks and woodland.

Now, with reports of laced meat and dead wildlife in two of west London’s most popular spots, fears are rising again. Dog owners are being told to keep pets close, watch the ground — and treat anything lying in the grass as a potential threat.

In Chelsea and Kensington’s most treasured green spaces, the simple daily walk has suddenly turned into a moment of vigilance.