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'Dead cat' brought to animal shelter found to be dog puppet

By Ben Hooper
Don't worry, this "dead cat" is actually a dog puppet. Photo by GSPCA, Guernsey SPCA/Facebook
Don't worry, this "dead cat" is actually a dog puppet. Photo by GSPCA, Guernsey SPCA/Facebook

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ST. ANDREW, Guernsey, June 30 (UPI) -- An animal shelter on the British island of Guernsey said a "dead cat" brought in by a member of the public was neither dead nor a cat -- it was a dog puppet.

Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals manager Steve Byrne said a member of the public brought in a box containing a blanket-wrapped "dead cat" the person had found.

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"When I went to check the animal over not only did I find it wasn't a cat I also found it wasn't dead at all!" Byrne said. "The deceased cat was in fact a very wet and muddy dog and not any normal dog but a hand puppet."

The GSPCA shared photos on Facebook of the puppet as it appeared before and after it was cleaned at the shelter.

"Both the finder and I were extremely relieved and where an air of sadness had been at the GSPCA it soon turned to laughter," Byrne said.

Byrne said the shelter is hoping to reunite the puppet with its owner.

"The dog does have a missing nose, a green collar, made by the Puppet Co and is black and white in color," he said.

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The GSPCA said it wasn't the first time a member of the public made a mistaken report. Previous instances included:

* A call to a sick seal on a beach was in fact a duvet

* Also a possible dead dog on a beach was another duvet

* An injured crow was a black bag

* A stray pug was called in and was in fact a frog

* A dead gull hanging from a fence was a carrier bag

* An injured bird was a blonde wig

* A hedgehog rescue once turned out to be a pine cone

* A pregnant cat turned out to be a neutered male 

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