Mufutu residents in Lugari sub location, Lugari Sub County are living in fear following attacks by an unknown wild animal that has continued roaming around the village killing and eating their dogs.
The worried residents say the ravenous creature has been roaming around the village for the past six months where it has killed over 50 dogs creating fear and panic.
Led by Boniface Wanjala and Alice Muhembi they said the beast routinely invade their homesteads, kill and feed on their dogs.
Following the attacks, the residents now fear for their lives saying the animal might turn against them.
‘If it kills and eats dogs, then how safe are we and also our children who wake up early every morning to go to school?’’ paused Mr. Wanjala.
Protus Wafula says they have been forced to close their businesses early and ensure everyone is at home by 6 pm for fear of being attacked by the animals.
“Our lives have been terrorized by the creature. We get home before 6 pm due to fear,” he said.
On his part, James Kuta says he has been forced to lock his dogs in the house at night to protect them from the beast.
“Instead of the dogs protecting me at night I have been forced to give them protection by locking them in the house,” said Kuta.
His sentiments were echoed by Josephine Mukasia who has lost four of her dogs to the creature.
“We used to have so many dogs in this area but they have been killed by the creature, we just don’t know what to do,” said Mukasia.
The residents have appealed to Kenya Wildlife Service officers to make haste and lay traps to ensure they remove the animal from the villages before situations worsen.
They said despite raising their complaints to the local administration no step has been taken to help them.
“We want this animal to be removed from here to give us peace and to continue with our activities uninterrupted. We need to be protected from this beast,” they said.
