Mountain Home residents are being told to keep a close eye on their pets after four missing dogs were found dead earlier this week.
The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office is still trying to determine exactly how the animals died, but it's definitely causing concern for pet owners in the area.
On Monday afternoon, Elmore County sheriff's deputies responded to the area near old Highway 30, a few miles outside Mountain Home.
They found two dead dogs that were reported missing by their owners.
Several hours later, two more dogs were found, also dead.
"I'm very concerned, I mean I have my own dogs, I have a doggie door, they are in and out, two of mine are almost 17 years old," says Brenda Shwarze.
Shwarze owns Barks and Bubbles, a grooming shop, and has five dogs of her own.
She says she's knows the owners whose dogs were killed.
"So that's devastating, I would be devastated, my dogs travel all over the world with me and lived all over the world with me, so I couldn't imagine them being gone, so we have gone to locking the doggie door after 10 at night," says Shwarze.
"We are taking this very seriously because I have three dogs myself and they are loved animals," says Elmore County Sheriff Mike Hollinshead.
Hollinshead said deputies couldn't determine how long the four dogs had been dead for after being found Monday, or how they died, but there were possible signs of injuries.
"There are some small wounds that are visible but that's all I can discuss at this time," says Hollinshead.
And there could be more out there.
"There are some others that are reported missing throughout the county we don't know at this time if it's part of this or not," says Elmore County sheriff's detective Clint Andrus.
A dead cat was also found in the area but Hollinshead says its death isn't related.
A forensic evaluation is being done on the dogs' bodies at West Vet in Boise.
As deputies continue to investigate, all they can do for now is warn pet owners.
"All we ask of dog owners is watch after your pets, make sure your gates have locks on them, make sure they just don't sit out there unattended," says Hollinshead.
"Be a little more suspicious of people walking around, why are they out late, why are they walking around when it's so cold outside, question yourself, if it doesn't look right, look into it," says Shwarze.
The Elmore County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who has any information or if your pet is missing to please contact them