VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -- A Florida sheriff's department is issuing a warning to pet owners after fish hooks were found placed in meat left at a dog park.
Volusia County Sheriff's Office says that at least seven fish hooks were found placed in meat balls at Bicentennial Park in Ormond Beach on Tuesday.
Deputies say that one dog was eating a ball of meat and was taken to the vet with two meat balls.
Deputies say that the meat was still cold and sweating like it had been frozen and was thawing in the sun for awhile.
"Several were very mushy. The meat appeared have the consistency and smell of liverwurst," VCSO wrote in a Facebook post.
Deputies took photos of the meat balls intact before cutting them open. When the meat balls were cut open, deputies located several small fishing hooks.
Photos were taken of the hooks and the hooks were placed in evidence, deputies say.
Park and recreation personnel have been contacted as well as Volusia County Animal Control.
Park employees arrived and closed the dog parks and conducted several searches. After multiple searches with negative results on locating any more items, the parks were reopened.
Animal Control contacted Tomoka Pines Veterinary Hospital, which advised that X-rays revealed the dog taken there did not ingest any hooks. They stated they were not going to test the meat for chemicals but did find hooks in the meat that was taken there.
At this time, deputies have no information on who placed the meat but say that a similar report was filed two years ago where meat stuffed with pills was located inside the small dog park.
Mary Stringini is a digital reporter for ABC Action News. Follow her on Twitter @MaryWFTS.
