Lansford police are investigating the matter of a dead dog found Saturday in garbage bags at the west end of Abbott Street.

Sgt. Jack Soberick said someone had reported a foul odor in the area. A patrolman went to see, and found the badly decomposed dog about 20 feet off the road, near the woods.

The dog had been there "for a significant amount of time," Soberick said.

They were able to determine the animal had no collar, had not been given an identification chip, and that it was large and had reddish brown hair.

The discovery may not be a criminal matter, he said.

"It could be that the dog died and the owner couldn't afford to have it cremated or could was unable to bury it," he said.

The canine, possibly a rottweiler mix, was stuffed into two garbage bags and dropped in the woods near the Panther Valley football stadium.

"I think the whole situation was unfortunate for the poor dog, said Carrie Marrero, who lives right near where the dog was found and had smelled something foul in the air for the last few weeks. "It makes you wonder if or what kind of foul play there might have been involved for someone to have gone about things the way they did. They could have at least dug a hole and gave the dog a proper burial."

Tom Connors, director of the Carbon County Animal Shelter, helped clean up the remains.

According to the shelter's Facebook page, due to the length of time the dog was there, the sex or cause of death were not able to be determined.

The shelter staff has since taken it to be cremated.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should call the shelter at 570-325-4828 or Lansford police at 570-645-5844.