Remaining wild dog shot dead

by Gerry Warren and Adam Williams

The remaining escaped wild dog has been shot dead by police.

It was killed Friday morning in Littlebourne on the advice of staff from Howletts.

Earlier in the morning it had been spotted by Linda Holton while walking her daughter's dog in Littlebourne.

Mrs Holton, of Hillcrest Road, Littlebourne, spotted the animal around 8.45am in fields behind the nursing home.

"It was standing halfway down the track on the bridge and it just looked at me and stood there as still as possible," she said.

"It was about the size of a collie dog, a beautiful looking animal a sort of bright orange coppery colour.

"It didn't looked scared at all or run off as soon as it spotted me, it was just standing looking at the river.

"As soon as I got back from my walk, I contacted the police straight away and they told me they would send out a patrol."

Eight of the pack which escaped from their enclosure at the wild animal park on Wednesday have died.

One was shot by a police officer on Thursday and another was killed after it was hit by a train.

Four were tranquilised but one had a broken leg and had to be put down.

Twelve have been contained and are back in their enclosure.

The dogs shot by police were cornered.

Police spokesman Sally Smith said there was no time to get a vet to tranquilise them.

"We would prefer to tranquilise the dogs but on these occasions had not choice," she said.

A police helicopter was used in the search.

It followed sightings of the dogs in Hollow Lane, Wincheap; Station Road, Bridge; and New House Close, Thanington.

An investigation will be held into how the pack escaped on Wednesday morning.

Howletts was closed to the public all day Wednesday. It opened as nomal on Thursday.

Pupils at nearby Littlebourne Primary School were kept inside at lunchtime on Wednesday and sent home with warning letters.

The school also put up a notice advising parents of the situation.

Head teacher Jacqueline Reed said: "Despite the animals posing no immediate threat to people's safety, you can't mess around when children are involved."

Ch Insp Anna Travers, the police officer in charge of the operation to track down the dogs, said: "Our advice to the public is to contact Kent Police immediately should they spot one of these animals and they should not put themselves into contact with them.

"Our primary aim is to locate these animals as quickly and safely as possible."

A search party including police, animal keepers and a vet armed with a tranquilliser gun went out looking for the fox-like animals.

Howletts spokesman Tricia Corkhill said: “We do not yet know how they got out but that will be investigated. "

The dhole, which is threatened with extinction, is about the size of a border collie and has a strange whistle call. They live in packs of around 10 and its favourite prey is small deer.

They escaped before the park opened to the public for the day.

Kent Online
www.kentonline.co.uk/kol08/article/default.asp?article_id=56971