In a distressing event in Alabama, a woman was found dead at her home, her body consumed by her own pets. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the grim discovery was made during a welfare check on the woman, known as Rita Thomas, who had been unaccounted for over a significant period.
Thomas’s remains were located in a remote area of her yard, hidden from the view of neighbors and passersby. Law enforcement officials believe she died of natural causes. It is speculated that she had been dead for approximately seven to eight weeks before her body was found.
Thomas was the caretaker of two dogs and a cat. The dogs were discovered in the yard, their movements limited by wireless boundary collars. Officials reported that her remains had been consumed by her dogs and possibly other animals that had access to the yard.
The wireless collars that confined the dogs to the yard likely led to their desperation for food as the weeks passed, according to officials. In a sorrowful twist, pets suspected of consuming human remains are classified as biohazards and must be euthanized, as per the sheriff’s office. As a result, both dogs were euthanized.
The cat was found separately within the residence, in a state of lethargy and malnourishment, and in extremely poor health. Regrettably, due to its deteriorated health condition, the cat also had to be euthanized.