GRAPEVINE/COLLEYVILLE - That black panther seen roaming around northeast Tarrant County is really getting around. The panther showed up in Argyle last Sunday [Aug 30] , and now a woman in Fort Worth says she saw the big cat. The woman says she spotted the panther roaming on Marine Creek Parkway as she drove to work Thursday morning [Sept 3]. Police and animal control officers spent the morning searching for the black panther, but never found anything. If they do find it, officers plan to tranquilize the cat and take it to a safe area.

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  GRAPEVINE/COLLEYVILLE - Animal control officers say they may be on the lookout for two panthers. A panther and possibly a cub are somewhere in the Grapevine/Colleyville area. And some people are trying to take this dangerous situation into their own hands.

     Robert Clements spotted the black panther Monday morning [Aug 25]. It was near a culvert, a few feet from the playground at Ashmore Park in Colleyville. Clements says, “He looked like somebody’s house cat. But it was big, had a long tail, probably 30 inches long. Pretty cat.”

     Clements only saw one panther, but animal control officers say, according to their tracking expert, there may also be a cub. Colleyville Animal Control Official Debbie Wallis says, “He found tracks, double set of tracks. We have no confirmed sighting of the baby other than we know there’s tracks.” And if there’s a cub, Wallis says, “There’s no such thing as Immaculate Conception so there’s gotta be a male cat out there somewhere, if there’s a baby.”

Animal control officers have been trying to lure the panther into a cage by using beef, but apparently all beef has been bringing in is some raccoons and possums. So they’re going to take out the beef, bring in some chicken and see if maybe then they can trap their panther. Grapevine Animal Control Official Lawrence Hopkins says, “We’re going to try and do this the most humane way as possible, but if it did come to a life threatening situation, the public do come first.”

     But experts warn, if you spot the cat, don’t try to be the hero. Hopkins says, “Go in the house and dial 911. Don’t attempt to catch this cat yourself.” And don’t, as someone tried Monday morning, attempt to shoot the panther. Hopkins says, “The ammunition used this morning would’ve passed through this cat and kept going. This is not that big of a cat. You’re gonna hurt somebody.” And potentially hurt a cat, that has yet to hurt anybody else. If you see the panther, experts warn it is best to move slowly. Do not scream, or attempt to run. Even if this animal was a pet, it is still wild and has the potential to attack.

Page created Sept 1 1998. Updated Sept 10 1998