Is it a chupacabra? A 'squatchdog'? Ask people in Picayune, Miss., and you'll get different answers.
But regardless of what the bizarre, dog-like animal may be, one thing is for sure -- it's getting a lot of attention.
"If a zombie had a dog, it would look like that," Jennifer Whitfield told WLOX. Whitfield and her son captured video of the creature in a lot near their house and posted it online. Her son, who is 11, thinks it's a chupacabra, and it turns out he's not the only one in the neighborhood who feels that way.
"We've been running back and forth to our cars because we didn't want the chupacabra to get us," Amanda Denton, who lives a few streets away, told the station.
Agents from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks who responded after residents called in about the animal, have their own theory: They think it's a coyote with a particularly bad case of mange.
"It's probably sick, weak, and not able to hunt on its own, so it's going to the nearest food source it can find," Sgt. David Burnette told the station. He said that means residents should look out around their garbage, and keep a safe distance if they encounter the animal.
The chupacabra is a mythical creature that supposedly kills animals and then sucks their blood. It's name means "goat-sucker" in Spanish, because in legend the creature would feed on the blood of goats.
There have been other cases of strange, dog-like creatures being mistaken for chupacabras.
In 2007, Texan Phylis Canion found the carcass of an animal that she calls a "Texas blue dog" on the side of the road. It had steel blue eyes, a snout with an overbite, and strange skin that resembled that of an elephant.
Although some believers contend that the remains, which Canion had preserved and mounted, are that of a chupacabra, DNA tests have indicated it is a hybrid of a coyote on the maternal side and a Mexican wolf on the paternal side.
In September, a Leake County, Miss., man shot and killed what he thought was a chupacabra while he was "coon hunting." He killed the animal in a chicken coop. Local animal officials told WJTV that it was probably just a mangy dog or coyote.
Clarification: A previous version of this article stated that a man killed an alleged chupacabra while coon hunting in a chicken coop. The man killed the animal in the coop, but he was not hunting coons in the structure.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.