What the devil? Woman mistakes real Tasmanian marsupial for dog toy in Hobart home

Kirsten Lynch says the Tasmanian devil – who was gently shooed outside – likely followed their golden retriever puppy into the house

Hobart woman Kirsten Lynch got the fright of her life on Wednesday night when she went to pick up her golden retriever’s Tasmanian devil plush toy and it ran away.

“I went to reach for it, the devil shot underneath the couch,” she said.

The toy was actually a real Tasmania devil and Lynch said her yelling woke up the whole house.

While her husband chased the little devil out of the house with a broom, Lynch and her children had to take refuge on top of their kitchen table.

“We were concerned that if she or he was cornered and scared they would bite someone,” Lynch said.

“So at some stage, the family were standing on the dining table, which in itself was classically funny.

“I got the fright of my life. But to be honest, I think the poor thing was more terrified of us.”

Tasmania devils will rarely enter homes, but this time of year juveniles can be in urban areas looking for food and water as they learn how to survive without their parents.

The young devil did not appear hurt, and Lynch, whose property backs on to bushland, believes it came inside behind their new puppy, Gecko.

“The devil got through the fence behind Gecko and walked in through the door that we leave open for her as she’s still potty training,” she said.

“It was very cute,” she said.

Videos of the incident show the little animal scurrying underneath the tables and chairs while her husband gently shoos it out of the house.

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