IPSWICH City Council is offering a $5000 reward to catch vandals who left dog food laced with hundreds of thumb tacks in a public park at the weekend.

Acting Ipswich Mayor Paul Tully reported the incident to police on Sunday after residents discovered the tacks scattered across the Augustine Heights Dog Park near Springfield.

Mr Tully told The Queensland Times a couple visited his home to alert him to the situation.

“They had helped clean up the park themselves and had recovered over 100 thumb tacks,” he said.

“The couple said that pieces of dried dog food were spread around with the thumb tacks.”

He described the act of vandalism as “absolutely disgraceful”.

More than 250 tacks have since been recovered.

The council is offering a reward for information that leads to a conviction.