STRATHMORE, Alta. - As Halloween pranks go, this one really stinks.

Police are trying to sniff out the heartless hooligan who put feces instead of candy into a child's trick-or-treat bag on Monday night.

RCMP Cpl. Randy Yaschuk said as of Tuesday, only one small bag of the noxious stuff had been reported and handed over to police, who quickly and gingerly disposed of it.

"It just got dumped in one of these kid's bags," Yaschuk said, adding he and his RCMP colleagues are disgusted about it.

"It was probably just a prank, but when these kids go out and ask for treats that's not what they're expecting. There's one sick puppy out there who's getting some sort of kicks out of doing this."

RCMP warned parents in the area to carefully go through their children's bags, as disease can be transmitted through human or animal solid waste.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg police were also warning parents to check their children's goodie bags after a 12-year-old girl found a small needle in her candy.

The needle punctured the girl's tongue, which required a trip to the hospital, said Sgt. Kelly Dennison.