Hoax? Pills, Fish Hooks In Meatballs At A Dog Park: Police Warn Pet Lovers — Photos Get 2,000 Facebook Shares

When many dog owners shuttle their pets to the dog park, they are usually seeking playful companions for their dogs to improve their socialization skills and to perhaps meet other pet lovers. However, a recent crime story reveals that not every person who has visited a dog park has the best interest of the animals in mind. On Facebook, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office added four new photos that are going viral and have been shared nearly 2,000 times in less than 24 hours, showing the fish hooks that were discovered inside of meatballs at a dog park.

Authorities warned dog owners who visited the dog park at Bicentennial Park, north of Daytona Beach in Florida, located at 1850 Ocean Shore Blvd., about contaminated meatballs. The discovery was made on Tuesday, after a sheriff’s deputy came in response to the meat embedded with small fish hooks allegedly found in the dog park. A woman told authorities that the meatballs with small fish hooks inside were discovered in the small dog park when a dog began eating the meat. That dog was transported to the vet, along with two meatballs. A total of five meatballs were given to the authorities, but there were no witnesses who saw a person place the meatballs in the dog park.

https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaSheriff/photos/pcb.1601191116586751/1601186279920568/?type=3&theater

After searching the dog park, Deputy Bowen found one meatball along the east fence line in the grass and did not find any additional meatballs in the dog park. The deputy noted that the meatballs still possessed a colder temperature, as if the meat had at one time been frozen but had thawed in the Florida sun for a period of time. The mushy meatballs smelled like liverwurst and enjoyed a consistency of the meat, so the meatballs were likely appealing to dogs.

The deputy cut open the meatballs and took photos of the fish hooks found therein. The dog park was closed and more searches were conducted. The Volusia County Animal Control office was contacted and the dog park was reopened.

https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaSheriff/photos/pcb.1601191116586751/1601186489920547/?type=3&theater

The dog that was taken to Tomoka Pines Veterinary Hospital did not swallow any fish hooks. Ironically, Deputy Bowen responded to a similar incident two years prior, wherein pills stuffed inside meat were discovered at the same dog park, leading some to wonder if the entire episode is a hoax — or if any animal-hater is afoot.

Nevertheless, on Facebook, folks are advising that the dog park add security cameras so that the culprit can be caught red-handed with the harmful meat.

https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaSheriff/photos/pcb.1601191116586751/1601186276587235/?type=3&theater

[Featured Image by Volusia County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook]