Foxtail and other awned grasses produce barbed seed heads that burrow into a dog's paws, ears, eyes and skin and can cause serious injury. This heatmap shows where they've actually been recorded near East Village so you can steer clear in season.
Seen foxtail grass nearby? Drop a pin on the map and add a couple of details — no account needed, and it appears straight away.
Report a sightingFoxtails are bushy, cylindrical seed heads on tall grasses — meadow and marsh foxtail, wall barley, rye-grass and rough meadow-grass are the common culprits around E20. As they dry through summer they break into barbed “awns” that only travel one way: forwards, into whatever they catch on. They cluster on unmown verges, scrubland and canal margins.
If your dog is persistently shaking its head, licking or chewing one spot, has a swollen or weeping paw, or you can see a grass seed you can't easily remove, contact your vet — awns can migrate under the skin and need professional removal. For trusted guidance see the PDSA, RSPCA and Blue Cross. In an emergency, call your vet or an out-of-hours service immediately.