Youths provoked terrier to attack cat (From The Northern Echo)

Youths provoked terrier to attack cat

10:02am Tuesday 20th July 2010 in Animal Watch

A GROUP of youths set their bull terrier on a child’s pet cat before stamping on its head until it died.

Police are appealing for witnesses after the attack on the three-year-old tabby cat, known as Tiggs, in Hartlepool in the early hours of Friday morning.

At 12.10am, a group of men in black hooded tops were seen walking a black Staffordshire bull terrier along St Bees Walk in the town.

They are believed to have provoked the dog to attack the cat, then one of the men was seen stamping on its head.

John McKee, whose fiveyear- old granddaughter owned the cat, said: “Tiggs was a rescue cat and we have had him since he was a kitten. He used to sleep on my granddaughter’s bed so she has been missing him.

“I hope these people get caught and their dog gets destroyed – it’s not the dog’s fault, they set him on the cat – but I’d like them to know how it feels to lose a pet.

“It worries me what might happen if they are encouraging their dog to attack cats – what would happen if a small child was holding a cat and the dog got away from them? It might attack the child as well.”

PC Hollie Smaldon said: “This was a severe and savage attack which was provoked by the group of youths walking the dog.”

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Smaldon on 01642-302178 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.