x_x Oh oww.
The thought of that makes my stomach hurt.

But, I'm still at a loss. I doubt any of us will truly ever find out what it was, so all we can do is speculate...
So! I give up. :D

I had seen something similar to what you have discribed but its was a bit smaller. I was outside again after dark around 9:30pm be these peoples house whitch is full of cameras and motion sensors so I wasn't to close, but we heard a "screech" noise and the what almost look like a jackel/cat/dog/sphinx/kangaroo/ect./ect. goleden yellow thing jump full force against the fence from the inside nearly getting up. scared the crap out of me, but later we heard the screech again just farther away. The next day someone had said something about it to them, but they claimed it was there 'cat'. What controdicts that is the fact that a house cat can't take 4 panels of a metal reenforced fence. So your not alone in your large screeching creature story.

Neas

It wasn't meant to be witty, just logical.

If his dog was definitely taken by this thing, no way could an owl take a cattle dog.

Unfortuently I'd say the dog just ran off, maybe got spooked or else chased this thing in which case I'd be going with owl as well.

hey, not unless this thing realy was a creature as he described it, like sum sort of huge bird like creature that could have carried away his dog.

'It wasn't meant to be witty, just logical.' lol you dnt take well to compliments do you, lol

In Illinois?

And I doubt a thunderbird would feel "leathery".

It wasn't an owl, when owls hunt they're silent. They are considered the sharks of the sky. Have you ever heard a shark screech while hunting? Didn't think so. Whatever it was obviously carried off the dog to feed no doubt, if it had merely wounded it the dog would've returned home for comfort and help. No bird save a turkey vulture is large enough to carry off a mid-sized dog. I can't tell you what it was, but I can guarantee that shooting it with a pellet gun would only have pissed it off. There's nothing you could've done to save your dog short of shooting the thing that was chasing you with a double barrel shotgun or a sniper rifle at close range. I suggest buying a decent rifle just to be on the safe side and avoid going near the area you first spotted it completely, especially at night.

I thought the OP admitted he never actually saw it carry his dog off?

it was probly a very large great horned owl possiblyt having chicks near by it decided to scare u away u wouldnt see a beak becuase its nota very large beaks liek that of an eagle there feathers are very very soft so to the touch it could feel like leather i suppose ur dog probly ran off after it and once it perched itself in a tree it got bored and walked around and since it was a catttle dog most likely got pickred up by some people and is there new pet that the found in the morning jersey devil is stupid thunder bird is stupid anything other thne a logical responce liek this is stupid think about it people in the middle of the night nouthing looks normal but at the same time not everything is a cryptid i saw a turkey at a weird angle today and for a second it looked nouthing liek a bird at all doesnt mean i saw a shape shifting creature

I guess I don't....

Any updates on this 'sighting'?

I really wanted to help you out but im in australia and i cant make out the size because we use meters not feet

1 meter is equal to roughly 3 feet.

-Pilgrim

one inch is 2.54 cm and theres 12 inches in one foot so 2.54x12=30.48cm in one foot

So thats what ya heard? Id say it was something along the lines of a pterosaur, judging by the sound.