Australian woman fears for her dogs' lives after discovering a creeping nightmare in garden

Queensland, Australia - An Australian woman is losing sleep over a gigantic spider she found outside her home. Can the eight-legged arachnid actually be dangerous to dogs?

This huge spider made itself at home on Sue Richardson's windowsill.
This huge spider made itself at home on Sue Richardson's windowsill.  © facebook.com/sue.richardson.1800

Sue Richardson, from the Australian coastal town of Lower Daintree, got quite a scare when she stepped into her garden one morning.

She shared three terrifying photos in an insect group on Facebook of a fat, hairy, plate-sized spider in a window frame of her house!

In her post, the Australian explained that the creature had appeared at her house after a rainy night. She joked that she was now afraid that the spider might discover her spare key and gain access to the house.

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On a more serious note, Richardson also expressed concerns about the uninvited guest at her window.

"OMG! WT* is this?" she wrote in her post. "I love beetles, stick insects, butterflies, moths etc.. can someone please ID the reason I'm having a sleepless night??? Will this eat my dogs?"

Giant tarantula can really kill dogs (in theory)

Dogs, cats, and other pets shouldn't get too close to spiders like this (collage).
Dogs, cats, and other pets shouldn't get too close to spiders like this (collage).  © facebook.com/sue.richardson.1800

Dr. Robert Raven, an arachnid expert from the Queensland Museum, clarified the mystery for Daily Mail Australia and revealed what kind of spider it was.

According to Dr. Raven, the pictures showed a male Northern Tarantula at least seven years old. This type of spider is often seen in northern Australia, especially after rainy nights, he said.

"Rain is critical, so usually summer is their active season. Males go wandering looking for females in logs, under leaves and in the ground," Dr. Raven explained.

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The question remains whether the eight-legged creature could also be dangerous for house pets, and the answer is yes. According to scientific studies, Northern Tarantula venom can kill dogs.

At least humans are reasonably safe. According to the Australian Museum in Sydney, a tarantula bite is not very dangerous for people.

At worst, the poison can make you dizzy or make you vomit for a few hours.

Cover photo: facebook.com/sue.richardson.1800

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