Crow 'takes' chihuahua puppy from an Australian backyard

The puppy would've been small enough to fit in a person's hand.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

A woman has been left in shock after her puppy disappeared in the saddest of circumstances.

Heather Sinden from Melbourne, Australia lost her four-month-old chihuahua, Fudge, when it was reportedly taken by a crow in her backyard on Wednesday afternoon.


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Fudge was playing in the background for a few moments when Sinden claimed a black crow swooped and picked up the puppy, flying away with it. The puppy would've been small enough to fit in a person's hand.

"She's not coping at all, to be honest. She can't get the sound of Fudge's screams out of her head," Sinden's daughter, Melinda Pride, told 7 News.

"She even said last week 'I wouldn't know what I'd do if I ever lost this little puppy' -- because it was her world, it kept her going. My mum is just hoping for miracle that she's still alive," Pride told the news outlet. 

Sinden is battling lung cancer and was given the puppy as a companion two months ago to help her cope with difficult times, according to Pride who also spoke to Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader.

"The dog was normally inside, she was just outside going to go to the toilet and mum was quite concerned about the crows," Pride told the publication, who said her mother collapsed from shock when the puppy was taken.

Sinden's family are still on the lookout for the puppy, which is likely to be located in the Timms Road area of Kilsyth in the north-east suburbs of Melbourne.

It's likely that the puppy may have been taken by an Australian raven, which is carnivorous and can be found in the southern and eastern parts of Australia. Torresian (or Australian) crows are found in tropical areas in the north of the country.

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Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

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