A monstrous monitor lizard was caught after reportedly devouring a resident's pet dog in Thailand.

The mammoth beast weighing a whopping 100 kilos (220 pounds) was said to have attacked and eaten the family pet in Kamphaeng Phet, on June 5.

A local spotted the sated reptile lounging in front of his shop with its belly bulging at around 6:20 pm. He said he tried to drive the Godzilla-like creature away using a stick, but called animal rescuers when it refused to budge.

Volunteers arrived and found the monitor lizard lying still. They bound its limbs and muzzle before placing it on a rescue board.

It took four men to carry the chunky lizard to a pickup truck.

Rescue worker Saran Kheanthana, 22, said: 'We went to check when we received the call and found the massive monitor lizard. It weighed around 100 kilogrammes and was one of the largest monitor lizards we've ever seen.

'We believe it had eaten one or more dogs and was looking for somewhere to rest. It barely moved while we were tying it up.'

The monitor lizard was later untied and released into the wilderness.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.