Spikes reportedly found at Minneapolis dog park worry residents

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A worrisome find near a very popular Minneapolis dog park led to a warning for dog owners.

A pair of spikes were found stuck in the ground a bit off the main path at Minnehaha Park. It’s hard to say if they were intended to hurt a dog, but the Minneapolis Park Board isn’t taking any chances.

A woman found the spikes Tuesday afternoon while walking her dog near a fence line at the park. The two spikes were stuck in the ground - one with a metal spike strapped to the end.

The woman sent pictures to a friend, who posted it in a Facebook group. The post got shared quickly, and soon caught the attention of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.

“I was surprised and disturbed, concerned that we might have something dangerous in the parks,” said Annie Olson, who works on the Park & Recreation Board.

Right away Wednesday morning, the city sent crews into the area with shovels, combing along the paths. They didn’t find anything.

“They scoured all the way down to the actual entrance of the dog park, which is much closer to the river’s edge,” Olson said.

The woman said she did not report the spikes to authorities, which is why they couldn’t confirm nor deny the post’s legitimacy.

Though they were found outside the off-leash area and 40 feet or so off the main trail, they’re clearly dangerous. However, it's not clear who would put them there and for what reason.

“We are concerned. The safety of our users and the pets is really number one for us, so we encourage anyone who is out on our facilities, if they see something that seems strange or dangerous to reach out and let us know immediately so we can address these concerns,” Olson said.