- Did YOU spot the animals? Email: edward.holt@dailymail.co.uk
Three ‘wolf-type animals’ have been rounded up by police after they were spotted prowling the streets.
Terrified locals called officers to report sights of ‘howling’ animals roaming Station Lane in Preston, Lancashire.
The canines, which resemble wolves, were finally caught by specially trained dog handlers yesterday afternoon.
Since catching them, the force is making enquiries to ascertain ‘what type of animal they are’.
Residents have speculated they could be ‘coyotes or golden jackals’ – which are both not native to Britain – and questioned how they came to be on the streets of Lancashire.
Others said they could be ‘wolfdogs’, a hybrid breed of a domestic dog with a wolf.
Wolves were once common across the British Isles until they went extinct around 1680 following a combination of deforestation and hunting by humans.
Lancashire Police were finally able to capture the animals yesterday afternoon following reports that ‘howling wolves’ were ‘roaming the neighbourhood’
In recent decades, there have been numerous proposals to reintroduce the predators back to the UK.
Lancashire Police said: ‘You may have seen some speculation online about some animals found in the Barton area of Preston earlier today, and we want to provide you with some context.
‘At around 4:15pm we received a report of what were thought to be wolf-type animals roaming in the Station Lane area.
‘Officers, including our specially trained dog handlers attended, and the three animals have been secured and taken to a safe location.
‘Enquiries into what type of animal they are, are ongoing, and once those enquiries have been conducted, they will be handed over to the relevant authorities.
‘We know this might have caused some discussion in the community, so we thought it important to provide you with this update and reassure you that there is not thought to be any risk to the public.
‘Thank you to those who made reports to us or provided us with information or footage this afternoon.’
Police then shared a picture of the animals in the back of a van and made light of the humorous coincidence that the ‘wolves’ have been found so close to Halloween.
They wrote: ‘Tonight our officers responded to howling reports of wolves roaming the neighbourhood. After a thorough search (and a few goosebumps) we can confirm a pack of trick or treaters were (wolf) located.
‘They are now safe and sound in bed. Happy Howwwlaween!!’
