Black panther in South Jersey? Rumored big cat was just dog

Hamilton Township police say rumors of a black panther spotted in the area of Mays Landing on Thursday are false. Officers investigated a single report from a person who claimed to see the big cat. Police found a large black dog that belonged to a local resident. Black panthers are color variants of jaguars and leopards. They aren't found in the wild in the United States. Bobcats are the only native wild cat species found in New Jersey.

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