Big cat is on prowl, say police after pet dog is mauled
A BIG cat is on the loose in Cornwall, police have said, after they made a plaster cast of a paw print left in a garden where a family dog was mauled.
Police and the RSPCA say the print is far too large to be that of a domestic cat, leading some to believe the story of big cats roaming Dartmoor to be true.
Some think Mary Chipperfield, the circus owner, released three pumas on to the moor after her zoo in Plymouth was forced to shut down in 1978.
A cougar lives up to 13 years but it is thought she released a breeding pair, along with another male for company.
There have been reports of big cats around Dartmoor for many years.
Officials have confirmed the prints – measuring almost five inches – are that of a big cat and police say “something has been here which should not be”.
James Stephenson, from Callington, close to Dartmoor, raised the alarm after his labrador, Marley, was found with bleeding claw marks on its shoulder.
He said he has seen a large cat prowling near his garden, and thinks this is the beast that mauled his pet.
The 23-year-old, who also owns a Collie puppy called Maisy, added: “Marley was covered in blood. He had a big deep gash on his front left leg and one between his toes.
“On his left shoulder was a big black claw mark, as if a muddy claw had scraped down the side of him.
“He’s still not interested in going out in the garden at night. He loves his garden and now can’t bear it.
“The RSPCA said it had probably already caught something and was eating it in our garden and that’s why it didn’t take Marley; it was just protecting its food when it took him down.”
Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police inspected the scene. A spokesman said: “We called the RSPCA for advice and took a cast of the print, which they confirmed was the pad of a large cat.
“Over the years, there have been a number of similar reports across Devon and Cornwall. There is no evidence that such animals represent a danger to humans. It is highly likely that they would avoid human contact and only represent a danger if trapped.
“If any animal is sighted it should not be approached.”
An RSPCA spokesman said:
“We will continue to monitor the situation.”