Comments on: Sun Journal: Creature Looks Like A Canine

By: Jeremy_Wells

Jeremy_Wells — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 01:04:25 +0000

“In the end, wildlife officials got a DNA analysis that showed the animal was a rare wolf-dog hybrid, he said.”–Fox news site

Hmmmm, so according to Fox News it was a wolf-dog hybrid… that’s a leap from a dog mother and an “unknown” but likely canid father…
Yay Fox News! Fair and balanced my big toe.

By: Jeremy_Wells

Jeremy_Wells — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:51:02 +0000

“I’m sure my desk will be littered with household dog pics, a leash or two, and probably some dog food, when I get to work on Monday.”

Ah… a quote to remember when I start missing the newsroom!

Thanks for your work on this story Mr. LaFlamme (and you too Loren, seeing as how I don’t get any Maine newspapers.)

By: pipdog

pipdog — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:21:53 +0000

its a dingo for sure. what planet do these guys come from, no dogs there!

By: Carlfoot

Carlfoot — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:30:57 +0000

Like woof, woof, already!

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 23:51:45 +0000

Tamarack - The Fox News report is merely the AP story recycled, which is based on Mark LaFlamme’s original article in the Lewiston Sun Journal.

By: MojoHotep

MojoHotep — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 02:48:54 +0000

Ah,,Humhuah, (clearing my throat),,,you know???,,well,,,nevermind,,
I see a hundred road kills a day on the road while working. I bet I can take many more exotic pics than this one. I have even seen many road kills on top of road kills, vulture is eating possum, which was eating dead armadillo, which was too slow and all three became road kill in the same pile. They look to me like they are some sort of mutant hybrid, I am sure of it. There is a mad scientist/geneticist living in the hills of Tennessee. They make for some “UNBELIEVABLE” photographs. AND I will sell mine for a dollar a piece if anyone is interested. I need to raise my buy-in for the world series of poker circuit event in september in Tunica, Mississippi. At least at the poker table, everyone realizes that everyone else is full of bull.

It is, was and has always been, A Dog. I think I will go bang my head against the wall now.

By: youcantryreachingme

youcantryreachingme — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 02:04:29 +0000

May I propose a new title for this critter? The Maine Muttant.

Chris.

By: Tamarack

Tamarack — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 22:59:28 +0000

The media boiling pot so far.

Loren, did FOX news interview you directly, or is this 3rd or 4th hand journalism?

Just thinking about it, FOX news reports that “Mystery Monster” is a K9. Oh, the irony of it all. Would fox dna tests come back as a dog?

By: CASReaves

CASReaves — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 22:47:27 +0000

I figured this animal for a Chow mix once I got a good look at a photo that showed more than just its head. Just what breeds went together to make it will probably never be known. It’s a safe bet that it has offspring.

As for “chilling cries” and “bloodcurdling screams,” those can come from a variety of sources, including dogs, raccoons, coyotes, foxes and even stray cats that are “courting.” Has anyone out there ever heard the screech of a screech owl? It WILL freeze the marrow in your bones. It’s not a sound I want to hear again, but at least if I do, it won’t scare the bejezus out of me like it did the first time I ever heard it.

By: illovich

illovich — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 21:20:35 +0000

For years, consistent reports have arisen of an unidentified animal with glowing eyes, a chilling cry and the features of a wolverine, a hyena and a Tasmanian Devil.

I wouldn’t rule out that there’s a family group of wild dogs that has a high degree of one of the ancient breed DNA in them.

For example, as others have suggested (here I think) dogs like the Shiba Inu are usually depicted as cute and friendly looking, but they make bizarre sometimes-otherworldly vocalizations (something betwen a shrill whislte, a howl, a bark and talking) and in the right light can look sort of terrifying, especially if they’re feling aggressive.

I understand that this has varying degrees of truth for other ancient breeds, but I’m not sure about Chows (this dog looks like it has a lot of Chow in it to me).

And in truth, Chows have an average lifespan of 10-15 years, so if the “beast” has been around for “about” a decade, this dog could be the mysterious “beast.”

It seems a bit true-believerish to assume that because the animal found was “just a dog” that it wasn’t the beast that everyone was looking for. After all, if there was an unknown species of predator in the area, wouldn’t it have been causing trouble for longer than 10 years?