Raw chicken spiked with safety pins has been left on playing fields used by a dog training club.

A woman walking her dog made the shocking find – after her own dog grabbed some of the meat and swallowed it.

It is not the first time the Dryclough recreation ground in Crosland Moor has been targeted by sick thugs.

In March 2014 the Examiner reported how dozens of drawing pins were scattered over the playing fields used by the Springers Agility and Flyball Club and local football teams.

School chef Liz O’Neill, who made the find next to the clubhouse on the lower field, said she believed animals were being deliberately targeted and added: “There are some sick people out there.”

And the incident has also sparked a strong response from Huddersfield vet Martin Paterson, a partner at Donaldson’s.

He said: “This is a despicable act by someone who is either utterly thoughtless about the consequences or who is intentionally setting out to cause life endangering injuries to any animals who are unlucky enough to encounter the chicken.”

Raw chicken found on Dryclough Recreation Ground at Crosland Moor by dog walker Liz O'Neill.

And he said any animals who ate the chicken could suffer an agonising death.

“The safety pins could cause some serious damage to the gastrointestinal tract,” he said. “There is the potential for the safety pins to open and the sharp element to be left exposed.

"There would be a high likelihood that they would puncture the stomach or the intestine leading to leakage of contents into the abdomen.

"With the inevitable bacterial load in the gastro-intestinal tract, especially after eating a lot of raw chicken, that bacteria would leak into the abdomen resulting in peritonitis which is generalised infection within the abdomen. Peritonitis is usually fatal.”

Liz, 34, told how she was walking her dog, labrador-cross Marley, at 6pm on Monday when he came across several pieces of raw chicken. All but three had safety pins fastened through them.

Marley started eating the meat and refused to come away, swallowing one of the pieces.

Liz said: “There are some sick people going to all that effort to hurt animals. What kind of world are we living in?”

After a struggle Liz got four-year-old Marley back on the lead and gathered up all the meat.

“The safety pins were pierced right through the meat and fastened,” she said. “I’m a chef and the meat didn’t smell and can’t have been there very long.

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“I found an old crisp packet and had gloves with me and I picked up all the pieces and took them away.”

Liz rang police and officers are to step up patrols in the area.

Liz took advice from a vet and has been keeping a close eye on Marley who seems none the worse.

“I think we’ve been really lucky,” she said.

Members of the dog training club use the fields on Sundays and club official Tina Shaw said the field was clear on Sunday. She said she didn’t know whether the club was being targeted but she was worried for dog walkers who regularly use the fields.

“If we’re being targeted then the timing was poor as we’re only there on Sundays,” she said. “It’s the poor dog walkers I feel sorry for. It’s not the first malicious action we’ve had up there after the drawing pins.

Raw chicken found on Dryclough Recreation Ground at Crosland Moor by dog walker Liz O'Neill.

“We are guessing whoever is doing this must be new to the area. We’ve used this site for almost 20 years and we’ve only had this sort of thing happen in the last couple of years.”

Last year the Examiner reported how potentially poisonous food was found dumped at Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, another area popular with dog walkers.

Stephen Parr, of Linthwaite , lost seven-year-old terrier Spud after he ate contaminated food.

Mr Parr set up a Facebook group Dog Walkers Safety to spread awareness.