The mystery surrounding the deaths of two dogs in Blesbok Street, St Helena, is puzzling authorities.
Two dogs were found with gaping wounds and their bodies had been gouged open on the lefthand side. Their intestines were hanging out and some ribs had been removed.
What makes it more mysterious is that there is no blood at the scene, but animal welfare inspectors of Blessings observed large paw prints, bigger than those of a dog, at the scene.
The incident happened in the early hours of 15 November, around 03:00, when the first dog, and also other dogs in the neighbourhood, were heard barking. There were also sounds of fighting and later the dog was heard howling in pain.
The owner and her children were too scared to go outside.
The next morning the son went to go look for his dog, and the neighbours reported to him that they had found a horrific scene of a dog with its stomach gouged open.
The family then found their dog dead.
“It was scary. We did not go out, because the crying of the dog was traumatising. I can still hear the cries even now,” said the owner of the dog.
When the son summonsed Blessings Animal Welfare they too were shocked by the state the dog was in.
They saw footprints of a cat-like animal, but bigger than those of a dog. It is suspected to be that of a rooikat known as a lynx.
On the Thursday of the same week at the same hour, the dogs were again barking and another dog was found in the morning with the same wound as the first dog; still no blood around or on the body of the dog.
People are warned to be alert when it comes to strange nocturnal animal movements or happenings. If anyone has experienced the same kind of mysterious death of their dogs, they must report it to Blessings Animal Welfare.
