For months, residents around Dover, Georgia, were convinced that some unknown beast was stalking their community.
Dogs and hogs were disappearing. Witnesses described a large animal moving through the countryside at night, and theories ranged from panther to wolf. Whatever it was, people began calling it simply the “dog eater.”
Then, one evening in 1900, the creature wandered straight into town.
Armed residents opened fire and followed it toward the swamp. By the next morning, a search party had tracked it down and killed it.
Only then did they discover that the terrifying mystery animal was not a panther, wolf, or strange wild beast at all.
Or, maybe…
Dog Eater Was A Dog
DOVER, Georgia. — There was considerable excitement in our community last Friday evening.
About a year ago some kind of an unknown animal passed through this community and devoured several dogs. The animal was seen by a number of parties, but no one was able to tell what it was. Some pronounced it a panther and others said it was a wolf, but all was mere conjecture.
About a month ago this same or some similar animal appeared in the community again, and began the same old work of devouring dogs.
Again, no one could give it a name, but from the nature of the case the animal became known throughout the community as the “dog eater.”
It was seen several times at night and it was said that several loads of shot were emptied into its body, but it did not seem to care for powder and lead.
On Friday evening last, just before sundown, a monstrous and strange looking animal came into the heart of our village. It appeared to be about 6 feet in length and about 3 feet in height. The description answered exactly to that of the supposed dog eater and immediately the town was in a state of excitement.
Everyone that could shoulder a gun hastily armed himself and made ready for battle. Several shots were fired at the animal, which did not seem to care much for it and showed no hurry in getting away. It trotted off leisurely down the road towards Nochaway Creek, followed by several citizens, who kept firing at the animal until it disappeared in the dense swamp near Dover Bridge.
Early Saturday morning Mr. A.S. Morris and several others started out, determined to either capture or kill whatever it was and relieve the fears of the people. They came upon it in a dense thicket, about two miles north of Dover Bridge, and a well directed load of buck shot ended the existence of the supposed dog killer.
After the animal was laid out a careful examination revealed the fact that it was a large brindle mastiff, which had perhaps strayed from its owner.
The range of the animal was from the southwestern to the northwestern part of the county, and during the past several months it is said to have killed and devoured many hogs and dogs.
Many people came out from Dawson Sunday to view the body of the thing that had been a terror to so many people.
Source: The Dawson News. Dawson, Georgia. April 18, 1900.
