Seagull Snatches Chihuahua From Garden - Leaving Dog's Owner Devastated

Jul 24, 2019 by apost team

Becca Hill from Paignton, Devon, is desperate to find her chihuahua Gizmo after he was snatched from her garden by a seagull.

Hill told the Devon Line that the four-year-old chihuahua was in the garden of her home in Paignton when a seagull "swooped down and flew away with the small pup in its beak."   

Her partner reportedly witnessed the ordeal but was not able to stop the bird from flying away with Gizmo. Hill has since taken to social media and is pleading the public to let her know if they spot Gizmo anywhere. 

"My partner was in the garden putting the washing out at the time and suddenly he saw it swoop down," she wrote, as per the Mirror.  "It carried Gizmo a fair way as we couldn't see him anymore. I have no idea if he was dropped or where he is now."

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Gizmo was one of three chihuahuas that Hill owned. She claimed she had heard that such a thing is possible but never imagined it would happen to her dogs.

The publication stated that Gizmo is not the first dog to be snatched by a seagull. In 2015, another pet own from Devon witnessed her chihuahua pup tragically be pecked to death by a flock of seagulls. Niki Wayne, the owner of the chihuahua, was taking a shower when her pup Belly managed to nudge the door open and eventually got killed by the birds.

The incidents have baffled many as to what kind of bird would be capable of such an attack on a dog. The Mirror spoke to Tony Whitehead, a spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to get answers. 

"A recently fledged herring gull could have come into conflict with a dog and the gull's parents would have defended it," he told the outlet. "The other possible explanation is that it was just predation. Gulls can certainly take small mammals as well as other birds."

"It is really rare for a dog to be attacked, although this is no comfort to the dog's owner. Our advice is be aware."

He then went on to advise dog owners to keep an eye on their roofs and those of their neighbors in order to be aware of whether seagulls might be nesting there. 

"If you know you have gulls nesting on the roof or a neighbor's roof and you have a really small dog then just keep an eye on it, especially if it is an enclosed space like a garden where a young gull can be backed into a corner."

Although news of the chihuahua being snatched might worry dog owners, Whitehead insists there is little to worry about. 

"Obviously it's not going to take a Labrador away," he explained. "I've never actually seen a herring gull carrying a dog before."

We hope Gizmo is eventually found and brought home safe and sound. Have you ever heard of a bird snatching a dog like this? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!