What's this? You mean to tell me a whole bunch of people became hysterical about an unsubstantiated rumor, and in the complete absence of the tiniest degree of evidence that this was anything at all newsworthy, hastened to repeat and embellish it over the back fence and shout it in the weekly fishwraps of the internet? I don't believe it! You can't fool that many people all at once! That never happens!

State wildlife biologists and local animal control officers declined to go to Turner to examine the remains of the animal

You know why? Because they're afraid, that's why.

You know, I've grown up with Chows, and the first thing I said when I saw its picture was, "That sort of looks like Bruno," the last Chow we had. The nose, lips, fur and ears looked like that of a chow, but the eyes and teeth are really odd. Could be some sort of hybrid, I suppose. 100% weird, either way.

Stop making up animals!

Can I just say how much I enjoy pronouncing the word "chupacabra." If there's a word that's more enjoyable to pronounce, I surely do not know it.

My mother is a chupahija.

Just a Chow?! Hmph. Chupahija might be a good name for our next one. Masha wants a little sister. Then again, she also wants a pony, and she's not getting that. Nor pygmy goats.

Since I'm rambling about Chows, here is the story of a local legend, if you're in the mood for a shaggy dog story and/or slideshow (pictures 9, 10 and 11 are pretty cool).

you know... I should have said so in the earlier thread (so you would believe me instead of thinking I'm making this up after the fact - damn you and your cynical skepticism! Hmph!!), but when I saw the photo, I thought it just looked a lot like a chow.

It's impossible to tell from the photos, as the poor creature was dead, but I'd say Chow mix. It's hair, muzzle, and ears are too short to be Chow, and though you really really can't tell, it looks like a blue eye, which isn't Chow. What's weird is, mixed with what? Some sort of terrier?!? (When I was working at the vet, a favorite employee game was guess the breeds of a mixed breed. Then the doctor would tell us the her conclusion.)

Can I just say how much I enjoy pronouncing the word "chupacabra"

Didn't they do that song "I Get Knocked Down (But I Get Up Again)"?