Police have been left baffled after hundreds of dog and cat tails began to appear around a Brazilian town - even though none of its residents reported any of their pets missing.

Baffled investigators admit they are no closer to solving the mystery that is gripping Sao Lourenco, in southeast Brazil, where so far more than 800 furry tails have been found.

The animals had been killed between 48 and 72 hours prior to their tails being dumped in various parts of the town, according to forensics.

However, there has been no trace whatsoever of the rest of their bodies, leaving locals and police increasingly desperate for clues which might help to explain the animals' fate, and find the culprits.

Gruesome find: Baffled investigators admit they are no closer to solving the mystery that is gripping Sao Lourenco, in southeast Brazil, where so far more than 800 furry tails have been found

The case is considered so sensitive it has now even been passed on to a special parliamentary commission to investigate.

Theories have included that the dogs and cats were served as street food to unwitting townsfolk; that they were sacrificed in a satanic ritual; or even that a maniac pet serial killer is on the loose.

But not a single resident has yet come forward with any information, and despite a cash reward the bizarre case seems to be getting even more perplexing.

Locals were left shocked last month after 150 tails were found scattered along a road in the days following a festival in the town, leading police to believe the animals might have been slaughtered and sold as barbecued meat during the festivities.

But studies on the body parts, which were from both dogs and cats, found the animals had been killed after the end of the event and couldn't have been eaten during the festival days.

Stumped: Theories have included that the dogs and cats were served as street food to unwitting townsfolk; that they were sacrificed in a satanic ritual; or even that a maniac pet serial killer is on the loose

Puzzle: Investigators admitted they are no closer to discovering the root of the mystery. The case is considered so sensitive it has now even been passed on to a special parliamentary commission to investigate

Over the following weeks more tails were found in the town: another 100 found in a plastic bag in the centre of town, then 300 in the western district of Palmela.

In one vacant lot in the Vale dos Ribeiros district, 10 plastic bags were found containing around 300 tails.

Somebody should have reported their pet missing. But so far, there have been no reports whatsoever about any cats or dogs disappearing. So where have the animals come from? Civil police sergeant Marcio Teixeira de Melo

Most of the the tails were chopped off near the animals' vertebrae and showed a spiral cut, as if they had been sliced in a machine.

Police are now working with the hypothesis that the dogs and cats were used as sacrifices by a religious cult, according to civil police sergeant Marcio Teixeira de Melo, in charge of the investigations.

But he said that there are a number of elements to the mystery which don't make sense.

He said: 'Because of the large number, somebody should have reported their pet missing. But so far, there have been no reports whatsoever about any cats or dogs disappearing. So where have the animals come from?

'And we haven't found any trace of other part of these animals, not their fur or feet or anything, only their tails.'

Residents of the town, in Brazil's Minas Gerais state, each have their own theories about how the hundreds of tails ended up in the town.

Secretive: Not a single local in the town of Sao Lourenco (pictured) has come forward to report a missing pet, or to give police any clues as to the meaning behind the tails

Far-fetched: Police are now working with the hypothesis that the dogs and cats were used as sacrifices by a religious cult, according to civil police sergeant Marcio Teixeira de Melo, in charge of the investigations

Local businessman Renato Tarcitino said that many residents are afraid of buying meat from local butchers in case one of them are responsible for the slaughters.

He said 'It's someone who could be passing them off as regular meat, or roasting these cats in a barbecue and selling them to make money. Or it could be black magic too, something like that.'

Denise Santos Lage, from the town's animal protection group Animal Patrol, has been documenting the appearance of animal tails in the town and believes that people with information may be being intimidated by those involved in the killings.

She said: 'We still have absolutely no clues about what happened. We're running a campaign to try to find out, because the case is very different and very curious.

Guess work: Studies on the body parts, which were from both dogs and cats, found the animals had been killed after the end of the event and couldn't have been eaten during the local festival days

Urgent: Last week the case was passed on 'with urgency' to the Brazilian parliament's Commission on Animal Cruelty to investigate

'Some people here are very timid, very simple and perhaps don't have the courage to go to the police to report anything. But who knows, with us, the community might find it easier to open up.'

She added that the group had placed a sealed box in the town for anyone to make an anonymous report, and was offering a £500 reward for any information - but so far no-one has come forward.

She said: 'Personally I believe that whoever is doing this, is doing it commercially, not just to kill the animals. It's for financial gain.

There are too many tails, too many animals.

'I don't believe that they were just dumped here, because I drove with the remains of these animals in my car and the stench was unbearable. I believe that it is someone from Sao Lourenco who is killing them.'