Palmerton, Pa. — A disturbing incident involving dog treats embedded with fishhooks on a state game land in Lehigh County remained under investigation nearly a month after they had been discovered.

At least a dozen booby-trapped treats were found by hikers May 5 on the Appalachian Trail in State Game Land 217 in Washington Township.

They were scattered in a popular spot between state Route 873 and the George W. Outerbridge Shelter in an area that connects to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center trail system via the Woodpecker Trail.

Hikers contacted the nature center, which in turn notified the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and wardens were dispatched to the area. The commission posted an advisory with photos on social media, including the agency’s southeast region Facebook page.

The outreach was a heads-up to visitors and made in the hope of generating leads about the perpetrator(s), said Dustin Stoner, the agency’s southeast region information and education supervisor.

Within days, the post had generated a reach of close to 2 million, said Stoner, who also was fielding media calls from across the country.

“It struck a chord with many people. It was shared and shared and shared, and there were hundreds of comments. People were outraged.”

The nature center also posted an advisory on its Facebook page, urging hikers to be vigilant.

There were no reports of wildlife perishing, and while the commission had received a few tips, Stoner said, it was seeking more information.

Wardens are accustomed to dealing with all kinds of items, from drug paraphernalia to discarded tires, as well as graffiti, on game lands, Stoner said, but dog treats rigged to do harm is a first.

Depending on what the investigation reveals, he added, it could result in multiple charges relating to both game code and state crimes code violations.

“This was a very deliberate and disturbing act,” Stoner said.  “The tainted treats were half a mile or more from where anyone could get to with a vehicle, so they had to have been carried in. They were clearly visible on the trail and looked like they hadn’t been there long.”

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They posed an obvious danger not to just to dogs but to any number of wild species, from bears to foxes to coyotes, he said.

Each sausage-shaped treat was packed with several trout-type hooks.

According to PetCoach, an online veterinary service, clinical signs of a dog with a fishhook stuck in its mouth include drooling, difficulty swallowing, and pawing at the mouth.

If the fishhook is in the esophagus or stomach, the dog may drool, gag, experience difficulty swallowing, retch, vomit, stop eating, or suffer weight loss or dehydration.

In severe cases, PetCoach warns, fishhooks can perforate or migrate through the esophagus or stomach, leading to severe complications.

Endoscopy is often used to visualize the presence of the hook in the esophagus or stomach and aid in removal, which is done surgically, PetCoach advises.

Swallowing a hook can be life-threatening, and requires immediate veterinary attention, according to PetHelpful, another online vet service, which notes that the barbs of a fish hook will damage the intestinal lining as they are being passed.

“The lacerations will probably heal up, but if the intestinal lining is perforated bacteria will leak into the abdomen. The dog will then most likely die from peritonitis, an infection of the abdominal cavity.”

According to WebMD Pet Health Center, about 232,000 intentional pet poisonings are reported annually.

Stoner is urging anyone who finds a spiked treat, or has information about the perpetrator(s) of those treats already found to call 1-888-PGC-WILD or 1-888-PGC-HUNT.