A CAT lover is fuming after council workers disposed of her dead pet without trying to trace its owners.

Rachel O’Connor’s cat, Loki, was knocked down and killed close to her home, in High Street, Carrville, near Durham City, on Friday, February 11.

Neighbours spotted the dead cat at 2pm – but it had vanished by 3pm.

After learning this the next day, Mrs O’Connor called nearby vets and Durham County Council.

Two days later, a council worker told her that 16-month- old Loki had already “been disposed of”.

The 31-year-old said: “I was really upset. I already realised what must have happened because he hadn’t come home.

“But I started to think about whether we would cremate or bury him. I feel like I haven’t been able to say goodbye.

“I thought if workers found an animal, they would take it to the vet.”

Loki had a microchip, which Mrs O’- Connor, a midwife and young mother, said a vet could have used to trace her.

Durham County Council has apologised and launched an investigation.

John Lowes, clean and green manager eastern division, said: “Seeing dead animals at the side of the road is distressing for everyone, so our policy is always to move them.

“We are sorry if this is upsetting for owners and, in this instance, are investigating what happened to the cat.”