Pet turkey disappears days before Thanksgiving

CHESTERTOWN, MD (KTRK) -- Maddy Eckel has raised her pet turkey, Scout, from the time he was a hatchling. By breed, Scout was only expected to live eight months -- but he turned out to be exceptional.

Scout once roamed the farm with chickens, ducks and hens, but the family of fowls in rural Maryland now has one fewer member.

Without warning, Scout disappeared earlier this week.

A friend's tracking dog followed Scout's scent about a half mile into the woods, but eventually lost the trail.

Eckel says she believes in her gut that somebody took Scout; she points out several feathers on the ground that appear to be evidence of a struggle.

"My gut tells me someone stole him because of the holiday. I don't have a lot of good faith that he might still be alive," she told ABC affiliate WMAR-TV.