Dog walker finds hot dogs laced with suspicious substance in Des Plaines

Des Plaines police are investigating a report that someone left pieces of hot dogs laced with an unknown substance on a yard, perhaps in an attempt to dissuade dog walkers.

A woman walking her dog Tuesday morning discovered the chopped up meat in the front yard of a condominium building on the 1300 block of Perry Street, authorities said Wednesday.

The hot dog pieces were hollowed out and had a "blueish-greenish coloration," according to Police Chief Bill Kushner.

Police don't know what the substance is, but are labeling the case a suspicious incident. They haven't seen the food in question, besides a photo posted to Facebook.

Authorities haven't received any reports of sick animals or people.

The photo was posted online by Mel Dziedzic, a receptionist at Riser Animal Hospital in Skokie, where the Des Plaines dog walker brought her pet to be treated for an unrelated issue.

The dog didn't ingest the hot dogs, but the owner did bring the tainted food to the hospital, where staff sealed it up in a bag and disposed of it, Dziedzic said.

She said she was told there were more hot dogs scattered on the lawn Wednesday morning.

Kushner attended a condominium board meeting Wednesday and addressed the suspicious incident.

"I let them know, 'I don't know what this is about. I don't know what's going on. If somebody is doing this, they need to stop. It's incredibly dangerous and reckless,'" Kushner said.