Swordsmyth
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People who have small dogs have been warned to keep their pets inside after a chihuahua was snatched by a seagull from its owner's back garden.
Gizmo, a four-years-old chihuahua, is still missing after a bird swooped down and carried the animal away in its beak.
Becca Hill, 24, of Paignton, Devon, is hoping her pet will be found alive, and has asked locals to keep a lookout for it.
"My partner was in the garden putting the washing out at the time and suddenly he saw it swoop down. It carried Gizmo a fair way as we couldn't see him any more. I have no idea if he was dropped or where he is now," Ms Hill told the Devon Live website.
She also posted about Gizmo on Facebook. "Please, please, please, anyone finds a chihuahua he's mine, a seagull took him from my garden," she wrote.
Ms Hill said her six-year-old daughter is "really upset" and "missing her dog".
Experts have been drafted in as the search for the pet continues, and neighbours have been checking their roofs and gardens.
UAV lost dog search and rescue who have been helping the family said on Sunday night: “Search for this evening has been called off.
"A lot of gardens have been checked and cleared along with rooftops, garage roofs and trees.
“Leaflets will be distributed tomorrow in these areas for those who do not use social media.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has helped or allowed to look around gardens today and are very appreciative of your support for the family of Gizmo."
Tony Whitehead, a gull expert at the RSPB, told The Telegraph that this was a "rare thing to happen", adding: "I have come across gulls attacking dogs before, but it is incredibly rare.
"There are two things that could have caused this, the first one is that there's been a young gull recently fledged landing in an enclosed back garden where the dog is, and there's been some conflict, so the parents will have swept down to remove the bird.
"It's possible it's simply predation. Gulls are great opportunists, they aren't going to distinguish between a particularly small dog and a small bird.
"What I would say is, especially at this time of year where adult birds are particularly protective of their youngsters, if you have a very small dog, keep an eye on it, especially if you know you have gulls nesting on your roof or your neighbour's roof."
Peter Rock, an ornithologist at the University of Bristol has warned owners of tiny dogs to not let them run around in the garden unattended.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "These gulls are very large and as you know, if you've been around gulls, you'll know they're very large and are quite capable of picking up small animals, quite commonly they will kill pigeons that look a little bit under the weather.
"It brings me back to that story a long time ago about poor little Roo in Cornwall who got attacked by herring gulls."
He said that he has seen gulls rip the innards out of fully-grown mallards, and that small dogs could be at risk.
Mr Rock added: "If you have a very tiny little dog I suggest you don't let it run around on your garden as it might well become a meal. It would have to be very tiny like this one was."
There are several recorded incidents of seagulls attacking small dogs. The problem seems particularly rife in Devon; in May 2015 Niki Wayne, 57, who lives nearby watched in shock as her chihuahua was pecked to death by ruthless gulls.
As her owner took a shower, Bella managed to nudge open a slightly ajar door and run outside, where she was killed by gulls.
More at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...es-chihuahua-back-garden-flies-tiny-dog-beak/
Gizmo, a four-years-old chihuahua, is still missing after a bird swooped down and carried the animal away in its beak.
Becca Hill, 24, of Paignton, Devon, is hoping her pet will be found alive, and has asked locals to keep a lookout for it.
"My partner was in the garden putting the washing out at the time and suddenly he saw it swoop down. It carried Gizmo a fair way as we couldn't see him any more. I have no idea if he was dropped or where he is now," Ms Hill told the Devon Live website.
She also posted about Gizmo on Facebook. "Please, please, please, anyone finds a chihuahua he's mine, a seagull took him from my garden," she wrote.
Ms Hill said her six-year-old daughter is "really upset" and "missing her dog".
Experts have been drafted in as the search for the pet continues, and neighbours have been checking their roofs and gardens.
UAV lost dog search and rescue who have been helping the family said on Sunday night: “Search for this evening has been called off.
"A lot of gardens have been checked and cleared along with rooftops, garage roofs and trees.
“Leaflets will be distributed tomorrow in these areas for those who do not use social media.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has helped or allowed to look around gardens today and are very appreciative of your support for the family of Gizmo."
Tony Whitehead, a gull expert at the RSPB, told The Telegraph that this was a "rare thing to happen", adding: "I have come across gulls attacking dogs before, but it is incredibly rare.
"There are two things that could have caused this, the first one is that there's been a young gull recently fledged landing in an enclosed back garden where the dog is, and there's been some conflict, so the parents will have swept down to remove the bird.
"It's possible it's simply predation. Gulls are great opportunists, they aren't going to distinguish between a particularly small dog and a small bird.
"What I would say is, especially at this time of year where adult birds are particularly protective of their youngsters, if you have a very small dog, keep an eye on it, especially if you know you have gulls nesting on your roof or your neighbour's roof."
Peter Rock, an ornithologist at the University of Bristol has warned owners of tiny dogs to not let them run around in the garden unattended.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "These gulls are very large and as you know, if you've been around gulls, you'll know they're very large and are quite capable of picking up small animals, quite commonly they will kill pigeons that look a little bit under the weather.
"It brings me back to that story a long time ago about poor little Roo in Cornwall who got attacked by herring gulls."
He said that he has seen gulls rip the innards out of fully-grown mallards, and that small dogs could be at risk.
Mr Rock added: "If you have a very tiny little dog I suggest you don't let it run around on your garden as it might well become a meal. It would have to be very tiny like this one was."
There are several recorded incidents of seagulls attacking small dogs. The problem seems particularly rife in Devon; in May 2015 Niki Wayne, 57, who lives nearby watched in shock as her chihuahua was pecked to death by ruthless gulls.
As her owner took a shower, Bella managed to nudge open a slightly ajar door and run outside, where she was killed by gulls.
More at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...es-chihuahua-back-garden-flies-tiny-dog-beak/
