Discarded fishhooks and fishing tackle are a danger to both pets and wildlife, as highlighted in the article: Puppy pierced by abandoned fish hook in Sheffield.
We asked our readers to share their own experiences with this hazard on local beaches.

Lorraine Fleetwood
Yip, Labby swallowed 2 large hooks with bait still on. To be fair, I don’t think the fisherman do it on purpose but with all the rocks and the hooks get stuck and unstuck at a later stage and wash up. The don’t want to keep buying hooks etc also.

Reghard Roets
More than once our dogs have picked up discarded hooks with bait on … luckily, we stopped them in time. Some local fishermen are very reckless in this regard, even empty bait packaging and glass bottles are often just left when they leave.

Mikaela Hagemann
Terrible experience with my Labrador, who had to be rushed to the vet on the Saturday of Easter weekend after eating bait with a hook at Xmas Bay – it got severely stuck in his throat and he had to be sedated to cut it out. My lab was lucky in the end that it didn’t go to his stomach but I’m now so nervous to take him to the beach.

Allison Pearson
I’m so sorry Mikaela. Unfortunately, the people who recklessly discard their bait / hooks etc would never even bother to read this post. And unfortunately, they’ll never be held accountable so will just keep doing it.

Rein Van De Wall
Yip. Ballito vet was a magician!

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