My dog killed a cat this afternoon. What now?

[HarrietSchulenberg]

Out with dog this afternoon. Dog off lead in seemingly empty field. Cat jumped up from long grass in front of him and he pounced. Cat didn't really have a chance. It was still alive when I managed to get dog off so wrapped it up and took it to vet who lives locally. Vet just rang to say cat died. Owners on holiday till Tuesday but have been told.

First step is dog is staying on lead at all times. Next step is training classes, will ring when I get home tomorrow eve. What else?

Dog is insured so should be covered for vet costs for cat. Will have bill for him too as he was injured, but still waiting to know how much. Will offer to meet with cat owners, if they want to. Do I need to muzzle him if he's on a lead?

Really shocked at the mo and prob not thinking straight. I've always had cats until recently so I really feel for the owners.

Will be bwck in a while, need to get kids to bed.

I’m so sorry that must have been horrible to witness, I’m not sure what more you can do though?

Can I ask how just you train dogs to not want to chase cats (or wild rabbits/squirrels etc - Serious question) I understand that if you have cats and dogs living together you can train the dog to accept the cat, but my dog very rarely sees a cat so how would I train it not to chase, as surely it’s instinct? Apologies if I seem stupid but it’s a genuine question?

To all those who said they'd take legal action against the owner, you can train the dog to leave it for months and years but if something furry runs in front of a dog with high prey drive it will be off.
So are you suggesting that all high prey drive dogs and in fact most dogs to he kept on lead?

A cat in a field or even a road park wood garden where there are dogs is sadly at risk. My neighbours dog killed my cat, I was absolutely devastated but in my view this is the problem with owning cats once outside of your house they are always in danger traffic neighbours or dogs. My cat was in their garden, and I take the view that many breeds of dogs chase hunt and kill small fluffy animals it's innate to many breeds/types of dogs no training will 100% guarantee a dog won't do this in the same way that no amount of training will guarantee you can walk through a sheep of field with a dog off the lead and it wont chase them. My dog has Avery low prey drive and I could walk through a field of sheep and he wouldn't chase them in a million years but I wouldn't do it because you just never know. Contrary to what some think on here dogs are not computers you programme and then never have an off day they living thinking beings they like us do things that are totally out of character. Attacking and killing cats/sheep doesn't mean your dog will attack a child.
My neighbours were lovely about my cat (as was I) they paid the vet bill and contributed towards another cat. We have purchased a non jumping breed for the simple reason that the next cat could get into their garden and the same accident could happen again, my garden has a wall around it that 5 foot high and our current cat can barely jump onto the kitchen table.
I adore cats but owning them has lots of risks because once outside of your house you have no control at all over what they are doing, and what they are going to meet traffic, dogs, neighbours (a friends cat was poisoned by a neighbour probably deliberately), one of ours was kidnapped taken to CP by a neighbour because it was attacking their cats and they claimed it was a stray. Cats are also fickle buggers one left its home and moved in with us and one of ours left our home and moved in with my neighbour.
Find the owner and apologise profusely, I agree pay for the vet bill/cremation etc perhaps offer to contribute to another cat