Hornersville man: Bloodhound may have been mauled by large cat

HORNERSVILLE, Mo. — A bloodhound belonging to a Hornersville man was mauled Thursday by a large cat in the woods, according to the dog's owner.

Aaron Jamerson owns two dogs, Harley, the bloodhound, and Angus, a Rottweiler, that travel across the field to his grandparents' house nearly every day. The dogs are able to roam freely across the property because Jamerson does not live inside city limits.

Early Thursday, an employee in a shop near Jamerson's house said heard a loud commotion coming from the woods, Jamerson said.

"Harley has a very distinct sound, because he is a bloodhound, and it was him who made the loud noise," Jamerson said.

Later in the day, Jamerson began to worry because Angus was the only dog he had seen.

"I called down to my grandparents and they said that the dogs had not been there all day," Jamerson said. "That's when I got worried."

Jamerson began to search the woods, and it was Angus who found Harley. Though Jamerson thought Harley was dead, the dog was able to stand when he approached.

"I wasn't able to carry him from the woods, because of all the downed trees and limbs," Jamerson said.

Harley made his way back with his owner and was taken to a veterinarian, who told Jamerson that Harley should survive the attack. The vet also said the attacking animal appeared to have been a large cat, Jamerson said.

"The veterinarian said if it was a bobcat, then it was a really big bobcat. If not, it was something bigger," Jamerson said.

Several people have reported seeing cougars in the area, Jamerson said, though he added, "I have never seen a cougar myself."