Free dog treats are usually a welcome gift for pet owners鈥攂ut a recent sabotage attempt in Pennsylvania marks a notable exception to that rule. At least a dozen fish hooks were found embedded in treats along the Appalachian Trail yesterday, in an apparent attempt to injure or kill unsuspecting pets. Officials made the discovery in the Lehigh Gap area near Slatington, Pennsylvania, and immediately issued a warning via social media.
鈥淎ll treats that were found have been removed, and authorities have been notified,鈥 wrote the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in a recent . 鈥淗ikers with pets should use caution on the Appalachian Trail around the Lehigh Gap.鈥
The post was shared more than 7,000 times in 24 hours, and Lehigh Gap Nature Center disabled the comment section after conversations became heated.
In a , Chad Schwartz, executive director of the nature center, said this part of the trail sees heavy traffic this time of year. He expressed surprise at the apparently malicious intent behind the planted dog treats and said this is the first time any such activity has occurred within the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. He remains hopeful that this will be an isolated event.
Unfortunately, this isn鈥檛 the first time that malicious booby traps have been set along the Appalachian Trail. In 2016, a hiker discovered a along the Pennsylvania State Game Lands 305 section of the Appalachian Trail. The board seemed to have been set as a trap to harm visitors to the area. In 2019, in Wilkes-Barre, a different part of Pennsylvania, when he rode into a rope, which had apparently been slung across the trail to flip cyclists.
This also isn鈥檛 the first case of trailside attacks targeting pets. In 2022, hikers discovered hidden along a trail in Idaho. In previous years, poisoned meatballs, contaminated ground beef, and other forms of bait have taken out pets in nearby areas.
Right now, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is keeping an eye out for further incidences of fish-hook-filled dog treats, and authorities are actively searching for the perpetrators. No dogs have been reported injured at this time. They鈥檙e encouraging anyone with additional information to report it to 1-888-PGC-WILD.
In the meantime, locals are encouraged to keep pets on the leash鈥攁nd to regard any freebie treats with caution.