Escaped dogs have just killed my neighbours cat

[clarkkentsglasses]

Bit outing but I am so shaken up and feel physically sick.

Just witnessed the most horrific thing I have ever seen.

My dog started barking really badly, 2 dogs outside barking.

Eventually after a few mins I look out the window and there is horrific screaming.

2 escaped dogs attacking my neighbours cat. They killed it :(

I am shaking. It’s the most traumatic thing I have ever seen. Police uselsss.

Nobody knows where these dogs came from.

I don’t think I’ll ever let my dog off the lead again :(

There is no doubt in my mind these dogs would've killed a child.

[eekbumbler]

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Of course it’s not right, but dogs on the loose is happens very rarely.

Cats are roaming and killing all the time.,

and thank fuck my neighbours say - who completely dislike cats, but guess what? I have a rat killing machine, the rats are under their shed, therefore they do like cats.

I'm not sure it's in a normal dogs instinct to kill a cat is it?

[MilesOfSand]

I’m so sorry that you saw and heard that, and your son too. I can imagine it’s so traumatic and will be hard to stop thinking about. The woman and man that held the dogs sound like heroes, I’m a dog (and cat) lover but would have struggled with doing that.

[MilesOfSand]

I'm not sure it's in a normal dogs instinct to kill a cat is it?

It’s not unusual, dogs that are docile with people and children can often still have a high prey drive with cats, rabbits etc. It’s instinct.

[tickledtiger]

What an awful thing to see op. I think most people would be shaken up by that.

When I was a kid a couple of dogs got into my garden and killed my pet rabbits, that was pretty upsetting.

[Bipbopboo66]

I'm so sorry you had to witnesss this.
In my teens i adopted a feral kitten, we had a lurcher.
The cat lived outside, the dog was an inside, spoilt but calm boy.

He killed her at the only opportunity he got.
I was heart broken, but couldn't blame him.
It is instinctive with these dogs.
Gentle dog with people.

Please do find the owners. Lurchers are a risk to cats and rabbits (never heard of then attacking small dogs)
Let them know so they can be more proactive in keeping the dogs in.

Sorry you had to experience this.

[clarkkentsglasses]

It was 2x husky dogs

I will take my neighbour some flowers today

Thank you for all the empathy on here

[MyOtherProfile]

That's a lovely idea.

Did the dogs get returned to their owners?

[CovidCorvid]

Isn’t it an offence now against the dangerous dogs act to have a dog out of control to the extent that someone has reasonable grounds to be scared? They don’t actually have to bite somebody. Sounds like this incident would meet the criteria. 🤷‍♀️

I’m not saying the dogs need putting down or anything as I agree just because they’ve done it to a cat doesn’t mean they’ll do it do a person. But you’d think the police would use the opportunity to read the riot act to the owners and maybe insist on the dogs being muzzled outside.

[clarkkentsglasses]

Yes you're right @CovidCorvid I was told this by the dog trainer I got.

The dogs had escaped from a different part of the town, we don't know who the owners are.

I've woken up this morning and realised my fear was for my own safety, my son and my dog.

[Willow19C]

Imagine thinking it is normal for your pet dog to kill a cat..

I don't know how you all raise your dogs, but I hope I don't ever meet half of you! God knows what it's like in your houses.

[Orangejuicemarathoner]

Be nice to your self today, and your son and dog xx

[Phyllis321]

Ignore the sanctimonious posters, OP. You witnessed something awful and are understandably traumatised.

[Ughmaybenot]

Oh you poor thing, I’m so sorry you and your son had to witness that.
I’m actually (relatively!) tough, have lived on a farm my whole life, witnessed some not ideal things but that would’ve really shaken me up too. Fuck knows why so many people are bleating on about cats killing birds etc, like that’s relevant to the extremely upsetting situation you were witness to.

[Sparklingbrook]

I can't believe there are people that think it's fine that two dogs kill a cat because cats kill birds and it's 'nature'. What sort of weird thinking is that?

[Branleuse]

I hope you can ignore the posters here who are dismissing how awful this must have been to witness, as if your neighbours actual beloved pet is not more important than a mouse or rat in the shed.
Id definitely take your neighbour some flowers and give her a hug and listen to her

[SavoyCabbage]

My sister's dog was attacked by a loose dog on a beach in the summer holidays. Her dog was on a lead, actually sitting next to us on his own beach towel when it happened. He was severely bitten injured and my Brother in law and nephew had to drag the other dog off his dog and pin it down.

The other dog owner had a five year old child and a baby.

The police wouldn't even take our details about the attack as they said it was 'dog on dog'. My sister phoned and emailed the dog warden and they never got back to her.

In the end she just had to be satisfied with emailing the police and the dog warden with all of the details as she felt she had to do something about the dog living with the little boy and the baby.

[UsedUpUsername]

This, people conveniently ignore that pretty much every cat is a small ecological disaster and brutal killing machine

Yawn. So are people, but we still feel sad when one is killed by a dog attack.

[romdowa]

A neighbour of mine had her small little terrier killed by two Pitt bulls last year. Nobody could get them off and that poor women who must be nearly 70 had to be held back while the dogs killed her little buddy. She was in an awful way for a long time. She eventually got another dog but she is just so nervous now while walking her pet. Those two dogs 100% would have killed a child had it entered their minds. It was awful and yet the owners and their family were out raged that the authorities siezed the dogs.

[userxx]

@clarkkentsglasses

It was 2x husky dogs

I will take my neighbour some flowers today

Thank you for all the empathy on here

That's a lovely idea. The poor owner 😞

[tickledtiger]

I’m sure your neighbour will appreciate the flowers op. I hope you’re all ok today.

[Tickledtrout]

@Sparklingbrook

I can't believe there are people that think it's fine that two dogs kill a cat because cats kill birds and it's 'nature'. What sort of weird thinking is that?

Sadly there seems to be an increase in dog owners who don't really have the skills/ interest/ time to train and manage their dogs. My friend's gentle, older Jack Russell terrier was mauled to death by a larger dog recently - off lead, out of control although walking in a local, busy beauty spot . Owner made all sorts of excuses, including 'it's nature's way'.
I am so sorry you witnessed this op and for your poor neighbour - I'm sure they'll appreciate your kindness.

[DampSquid]

Unfortunately some dogs have a very high prey drive and will attack smaller animals. A couple of years ago a husky near me got out and ripped into a neighbours rabbit hutch and killed the rabbit in front of the neighbours children I hope those dogs are never loose again for everyone's sake

[Goldbar]

Huskies are one of the most dangerous breeds of dogs. They are incredibly strong and have a strong prey drive too. My pet rabbit was killed by escaped huskies in our garden when I was around 8. Their hutch was torn apart. It was incredibly upsetting, not least because I actually tried to run out into our garden with a stick to rescue them but my parents grabbed me and wouldn't let me out there. Large dogs need to kept under control at all times.

Yes, cat owners should take steps to minimise the impact of their pets on wildlife (bells on collars, keep them indoors if you can), but how that can be compared with two huge snarling animals tearing a family pet apart, I don't know. For one thing, there's no way the cat or other animal can be safely rescued from a large out-of-control dog and any children or adults trying to do so risk being savaged. Whereas I've rescued quite a few small animals from cats over the years... they're just not a risk to humans in the same way.

I'm sorry, OP, that must have been awful. Please do check in with your neighbour if you feel up to it as they must be traumatised.

[wetfloor]

This happened on my street. Two escaped dogs killed a cat. The car owner called the police and wanted to ask us whether we felt threatened by the dogs. I certainly did. Not sure what happened afterwards though. My poor neighbour tried to rescue the cat but it was too late.

[Cat2014]

@Shamoo

I’m amazed by some of the messages on here OP, and I say that as a cat and dog owner.

What you have experienced tonight must have been very traumatic for you and others. Horrific. Sending you best wishes.

In my experience, a dog that escapes and uses the opportunity to kill a cat is a dog that has serious behavioural issues. As well as the dogs being out of control, I would also think your neighbour has a claim for criminal damage against the dog owner, given that the cat was her property - so I’m disappointed that the police weren’t interested.

Absolutely. I can’t believe some of the replies. Of course it’s not the same as a cat killing a mouse.