Dog sentenced to death for attacking a cat

[Dobiegirl]

This is in Scotland and they have different laws to us but I cant believe they are putting this dog down, the cat survived. http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotti...has-days-to-live-after-appeal-fails-1-2356206

 

[CorvusCorax]

Bit harsh!

 

[Moomin1]

I wouldn't make judgement unless I was in full receipt of all the facts. This dog may have been a prolific attacker on a number of different occassions or have bitten before.

Maybe it hasn't, but the press may not have added all the facts.

 

[EAST KENT]

Absolutely ridiculous,attacking a cat for goodness sake! They`ll be killing terriers for hunting rats next.

 

[The Original Kao]

I wouldn't make judgement unless I was in full receipt of all the facts. This dog may have been a prolific attacker on a number of different occassions or have bitten before.

Maybe it hasn't, but the press may not have added all the facts.

I'm fairly sure there is more to the story than has been publicised.
Not sure how true the other things I've been hearing are though but they would make sense as to why such a harsh judgement has been made.
Some of the comments made here make for interesting reading:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Du...og-c-jay.html?setNum=2&sortBy=latest#comments

 

[Vizslak]

I know the laws arent the same in scottydogland but I too suspect there is more to the story. ALTHOUGH Years ago one of my dogs, a lurcher, got out early morning and (after being let into the garden to play with the kids...they didnt ring us either he was tagged but thats not the point of what I'm saying) killed a neighbours cat. The police were involved and I was warned that if he got loose again and killed so much as a pet rabbit that a destruction order was possible.....I was very alarmed at this and think if this is truely the case then the law is an arse and needs looking into in a major way! Especially in the case of my story where the owners of the cat were very much at fault themselves, he still had a criminal record and a mark against him for the actual attack on the cat. crazy world we live in.

 

[Kaylum]

A dog near us killed another dog in the street the idiot owner let the dog wonder and still does. Police called but nothing further. wait till it kills a kid as its quite aggressive. Oh yes and we don't have a dog warden any more because of job cuts.

 

[Apercrumbie]

While I agree that it's a bit harsh please try to remember that that is someone else's pet who is probably very loved. Those people won't want anyone else to go through the same pain they have gone through.

 

[WeedySeaDragon]

Hmmmm, perhaps I should report my neighbours' cat to the police for coming into my garden and attacking one of my dogs?

In all seriousness though I would be very interested to knew the full specifics of the incident as on the face of it the judgement does seem quite harsh.

 

[s4sugar]

It appears that this was not a first offence.

 

[Kaylum]

While I agree that it's a bit harsh please try to remember that that is someone else's pet who is probably very loved. Those people won't want anyone else to go through the same pain they have gone through.

agree

 

[topclass]

I have 7 of the feline little darlings!!! and am dog lover I have to say in the dogs defence with regard to being pts does this mean that when my cats bring all sorts of wildlife in from the yard they are to be pts aswell? Cats and dogs don't get on unless they have been taught otherwise. IMHO I think this is just stupid.

 

[Alec Swan]

I once had 2 young lurcher dogs, puppies really, and was walking down an unadopted dirt road, with houses all down one side, a small cat shot across the road, making for home, the two dogs took off ignoring me, and killed the poor little cat under the kitchen table. By the time that I got to the door of the house, it was all over.

Understandably, the lady owner went ballistic, as I would have done had it been my cat. I was truly sorry, but beyond that I wasn't really too sure what to say. The lady insisted that I stay right where I was, whilst she 'phoned the Police. She came back from her 'phone call, and said that the duty sergeant had told her "That's what dogs do" . She went to my mother's employer who owned the Estate, complained to him, and he said "Well it saved my 'Keeper the job!"

It was in the '60s, and NO I'm not justifying what happened, but........

Alec.

 

[galaxy]

If that is the entire story then that is ridiculous!!

Dogs can attack and badly injure other dogs repeatedly and nothing whatsoever is done??

Also what if a cat came into my back garden and killed my rabbit who was free in my garden. Would it get PTS too???

 

[stencilface]

Tough one, depends on what the dog has been up to in the past I would guess? Our lab x collie killed an elderly neighbours elderly cat when I was a kid - there was absolutely no way she was a dangerous dog, she just really hated cats. Thing is, if it comes down to an aspect of control, then cats are far worse imho, at least dogs are expected to return when called, with cats its anyone's guess!!

I think we paid the vet bills and that was the end of it, she was a miserable old woman, and I don't think our dog made her warm to the pesky local kids

 

[cbmcts]

Reading between the lines it appears that the dog isn't being pts because she killed a cat - it seems that the dog being out of control in a public place is the issue - it also sounds like this wasn't the first time there were complaints and the police were involved in the past too.

While I feel very sorry for the dog, the owner and her family the DDA does demand that all dogs are under control in a public place - and while we have all had our 'Fenton' moments - it is the dog that pays the ultimate price so owners should be aware that this could happen to them if they don't train and keep their dogs under control...

 

[alfiesmum]

as i am from scotland i thought i would pop in.

dont know the whole story, as far as i am aware there is no law to say the dog should be put down. there must have been other factors.

ex yo that i know, his jack russell had been let out of garden and it killed a cat. dog owner was beside himself as he thought his dog would be pts.police informed and we were told that it was not a criminal offence as it is natural harsh as that may seem (and i have a cat). no charges were made and the dog was not destroyed.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

While I agree that it's a bit harsh please try to remember that that is someone else's pet who is probably very loved. Those people won't want anyone else to go through the same pain they have gone through.

I agree. I would be mortified if one of my dogs killed someones much loved family pet, whether it was a cat, rabbit or a mouse! If a pet wandered into my garden and was killed by my dogs is morally different from if my dogs were loose in public and killed a cat, then they are imo out of control in a public place.

 

[EAST KENT]

OK..so if a murdering feline is daft enough to come on my property and kill songbirds can I then let my dog "do what dogs do" ? I will anyway..but just asking.

 

[Dobiegirl]

Im a dog person rather than a cat person but I would be horrified if my dogs killed a cat, they are more than capable I have no doubt of that. Any cat that comes from the village down to ours is not made welcome by me and I just screech at them and tell them to go home.

Iwould hate the thought of someone waiting for their much loved cat to come home and be frantic with worry when it didnt. The village cats tend to come down at night when the dogs are indoors and I dont have a problem with that.

Cats cannot be controlled like dogs and its wrong to treat them unfairly because of this.

 

[SaharaS]

OK..another angle to this. Sorry for the cat etc but it is still alive. The owners have not lost their pet. Neighbours dogs got into my field which had mains electric mesh stock fence, thick hedging and wire stock fence against post and rail all way round, including inside the hedges. My sheep were attacked and one died of broken neck, bites & heart attack...and her new born lamb was left motherless. Dogs are still there, can still do it again and nothing anyone could do. These I hasten to add are pet sheep and not commercially kept. All have names and all are tame some tamer than mot cats! They have history but are highly trained gundawgs, labradawgs to be precise, couldn't possibly have been fluffkin & fluffywoos...guess that makes it ok then!

 

[Alec Swan]

.......

Cats cannot be controlled like dogs and its wrong to treat them unfairly because of this.

I agree with you entirely, BUT, when we give a cat its freedom, we do just that. It has the freedom of choice, and if it chooses to cross a road, in front of a car, then that's the way that life is, for cats.

Over the years, I've become very fond of the moggies who've taken up residence with me. To a cat, they've decided that I'm the man for them, never the other way around. Every one of them has ended-up dead, in one way or another. Every one of them has been a bonding process for me. Everyone one of them I have loved, BUT having allowed them the freedom of choice as to how they've lived their lives, I've faced their loss, and when we own cats (assuming that we do!) then there's a risk which we run.

Alec.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

Sounds a bit harsh but having read some of the comments from the dundee courier, it seems like there is a bit of history including the dog owner admitting that the dog was aggressive and she couldn't control it. I know that dundee play hard ball where certain breeds are concerned. When I did Dobermann rescue some years ago, i was called regularly from those kennels saying the had dobes that had reached the statutary 7 days and i would have to come and get them as it was policy not to put them up for re-homing in the area. On more than one occasion I had to drop everything and go as they said they would pts otherwise.

I am very careful that my cara is not put in the position that she could get a cat. she is the most placid and gentle dog until it comes to cats. I don't know what would happen if she got one and i don't want to find out.
With this dog in dundee the owner is clearly to blame. If you know your dog is like that then you have to make sure that it doesn't get out. I would like to know the full story of this one though, think there is more to it. or maybe dundee hasn't changed and has some prejudice against certain breeds.

 

[Serephin]

If someone's dog killed my cat, I would kill their dog. End of. I love my cats with all my heart, as I love my dog too. People who think it is okay for a dog to kill someone's much loved cat are wrong in the head IMO.

 

[MissTyc]

If someone's dog killed my cat, I would kill their dog. End of. I love my cats with all my heart, as I love my dog too. People who think it is okay for a dog to kill someone's much loved cat are wrong in the head IMO.

What if the cat went onto the dog's territory?

My dog will have a cat I love cats and used to have cats and really miss them. I have secured my garden, even with electric fencing to keep the dog in ... and yet the cats will jump up onto the shed and down into the garden and I can't help but think it's only a matter of time till she gets one. They're fast, but can their luck last?

 

[orionstar]

What if the cat went onto the dog's territory?

My dog will have a cat I love cats and used to have cats and really miss them. I have secured my garden, even with electric fencing to keep the dog in ... and yet the cats will jump up onto the shed and down into the garden and I can't help but think it's only a matter of time till she gets one. They're fast, but can their luck last?

This^. I have a cat that I've owned for 18 years and he's always been an outdoors cat. So was the maincoon I had that liked to go to sleep in the middle of the road He was happy to live with my EBT, but when we got the two new puppies he moved into mils next door. I love my cat, but if he's stupid enough to play chicken with the now not so small puppies then I would be gutted, but I would'nt be putting the dogs down for it, or for anyone elses cat that had a mental moment by walking into my garden. The woman had received a police caution with regards to the dog, so it had obviously displayed dangerous behaviour before this incident, and probably not the once.

 

[s4sugar]

Has anyone looked at the dates of the article?


I have six cats and they are not let outside. (except in an enclosed run.) Why do people let cats roam and be put at risk?

 

[Littlelegs]

I let cats outside because its what they enjoy. Just like I turn my horse out rather than stabling 24/7 to avoid injury. The benefit for me outweighs the risks.
My friends dog killed a cat in their back garden, like a terrier with a rat so too quick to intervene. She was understandably upset, but it wasn't anybodys fault.

 

[Shutterbug]

Simple really - if you dont want your dog to kill a cat keep it on a leash - if you dont want your cat killed by a dog keep it in the house. I have a dog and 2 cats.

My mum saw a cat rip open a dogs gut and the dog had to be put down - it was a staffy - cats are not beyond causing massive damage to other animals - rabbits, birds, other cats. You cant stop an animal from acting naturally. You can only take steps to reduce the risks to your animals

The owner has exhausted all avenues available to her and the dog will be destroyed according to recent news - its a shame but I do feel there is more to it

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4375756/Cat-maul-dog-loses-life-appeal.html

 

[MochaDun]

When I moved in to this house 10 years ago, my neighbour on first meeting said to me "I hope you don't have cats" - they had an old but still v interested in chasing cats JRT. I didn't but thought she had an interesting attitude. Three years later, their dog which they let out into their unsecured garden at night before bed for a wee, came out the front and chased a local cat down the pavement, the cat came up my path and in panic to try and escape ran headfirst into my front door, it sounded like someone breaking in. I shot out but the cat had gone, I spent 30 mins in my nightie (it was one AM) with a torch trying to find it as knew it would be seriously injured, not knowing either whose actual cat it was. There were very small tufts of cat fur drifting along the pavement. I looked again in daylight but couldn't see it. I then was away for the weekend. When I returned 3 days later my neighbour told me they had found a dead cat in their garden, amongst some thick shrubbery where I assume it had staggered under to die. I told her what had happened and she refused pointblank to believe it was their dog. The people whose cat it was don't know to this day what I witnessed. I would not have said the dog needed to be put down, it was very sadly (I felt for the cat), just one of those things though I have to say the neighbours on the other side, who subsequently themselves now have 3 lively terriers have a very secure garden. I just wish I'd been able to find that poor cat in the dark so it didn't suffer any longer than necessary, I assume it broke its neck or damaged its skull. Pointless post really.