Cat, Greyhounds and Police

I am posting an update on the response of Cheshire Police to the killing of my cat by two greyhounds, which has been awful, as they will not apply the Dangerous Dog Act legislation and have decided not to bring charges. I would like people to be aware of this.

Below is the complaint that I have sent to the Police Commissioner and also the Chief Constable. Cheshire Police take the view that their PCSO visited (name and address of dog owner omitted) and concluded that because the dogs were calm and did not bark at him, that they are not at all dangerous.

The dog owner said sorry (to the PCSO) and was remorseful....probably because he had been caught and his dogs had tore each other up.

Letter to Police

Mr. Simon Byrne
Chief Constable
Cheshire Constabulary
23rd April 2016.

Dear Mr. Byrne,
Regarding:- Complaint with special regard to The Dangerous Dog Act.

I have summarised briefly what happened on Thursday 21st April 2016 just after 8am. I am utterly heartbroken, as my beautiful cat was caught yesterday morning by 2 greyhounds, walking off lead, no muzzles (history of chasing cats).

The owner was yards away, and did not even try to stop his dogs as they ripped my cat apart and tossed him repeatedly in the air. The owner only got involved when he heard me screaming, as I was in my garden and could see what was happening.

The dogs were savaging each other in their killing frenzy. The owner had to repeatedly punch the dogs and as he got hold of one the other continued to maul my cat.I got to the field in seconds, by which time the owner had leashed his dogs, threw my cat into the ditch and was leaving. His dogs were completely covered in my cat's blood and had deep wounds to their faces and bodies caused by biting each other. One dog had to go to surgery.

The owner did not see that he had done anything wrong, he took no responsibility for the incident. This was reported to the police case number 519/2142016.

My best friend regularly adopts retired greyhounds and has always ensured her dogs are muzzled when out walking, as a responsible owner and protecting small dogs and cats, as she says the instinct to chase and kill is so strong in these dogs. The small community I live in, has numerous cats, small dogs, children and everyone is unbelievably upset and scared. My cat, Hamish, did NOT have to die. He died an agonising and terrifying death. There was no blood left in him and the wounds to his stomach were so deep, you could see his spine.

He was still alive when thrown into the ditch, as when I picked him up, his eyes were open and in shock. He died within minutes in my arms.

Cheshire Police have advised us that there is no criminal case, as it was 'a dog on cat death'- whatever than means! They have dismissed the fact that the owner had NO control of his dogs.That the dogs killed my cat in the most brutal way possible.

The fear that had I managed to get to the scene quicker and tried to rescue my cat, I would have been bitten, possibly very badly.

I have copied in The Dangerous Dog Act for you, as I thought this was a measure brought it to make dog owners aware of their responsibilities and the consequences should they neglect them.

I am completely bemused to be told by your PCSO that there is no case. If we ignore the semantics of the incident and just focus on what happened. My small cat, was set upon and killed in seconds by two out of control Greyhounds on a public footpath. The owner was unable to control his dogs. I was terrified that I would be bitten but I had to run to the field knowing that I might be bitten as the dogs were out of control and in a killing frenzy.

To be told by the PCSO that this was not a crime was unbelievable. How was a cat not considered to be an animal? His response was, his Sergeant had decided on this and that was that. I asked how they arrived at the conclusion that the owner of the two dogs was in control of his dogs in a public place, when it had killed the cat and made me terrified that I would be bitten as they were mauling each other.

The PCSO had no response and became irritated with me, as I was challenging him. He felt that the owner had shown remorse and had apologised and that was the end of the matter. I was told that he would ask the sergeant to call me sometime, when he had a chance to explain himself. This has not happened.

I feel completely let down and devastated by the way in which Cheshire Police have conducted this. I posted the incident and a copy of The Dangerous Dogs Act on Facebook, along with comments on what the response of Cheshire Police as been. The responses have been scathing.

I feel that I need to draw the attention of the general public to this incident, and get the views and feedback. I am a huge supporter of the police force and have always highly valued the hard and difficult work that is undertaken by the force. However, I am afraid that on this occasion I have been let down. I feel utterly depressed by the inept handling and lack of understanding of what actually happened.

A cat was brutally killed by two out of control and dangerous dogs on a public footpath. Had I or anyone else tried to intervene, we would have most assuredly been bitten. To be told by your PCSO, who is now suddenly an expert on dog behaviour, that he visited the owner's house, and the dogs did not bark at him and were quiet, makes me want to throw up – apparently in his eyes, there is no problem with these dogs or the owner.

He did not seem to take into consideration what the dogs DID on the morning of the 21st April, nor the complete lack of control the owner had over his dogs.

Yours Sincerely

Linda Davis

Police response

AudlemOnline has contacted Cheshire Police HQ for a comment on the handling of this attack. Inspector Kate Woods says: "This is clearly a distressing incident and our sympathies are with the owner of the cat for her loss.

"However, the law in relation to dangerous dogs specifically only covers attacks on humans, assistance dogs or livestock. Officers undertook an investigation and spoke to both owners and taking into account the relevant legislation, a decision not to take further action was made.

"That said, whilst the dogs have not been previously involved in any such incident, the owner of the dogs offered to muzzle both dogs which he has done so since the incident."

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