In Britain it is called ‘lamping’. Hunting dogs taken out at night to hunt with strong lamps directed at their prey, usually rabbits. On this Hull housing estate residents are saying that the prey is domestic cats.
Reports are leaking out of the Greatfield Estate that cat companions are regularly going missing. For instance, the Mirror newspaper online reports that 41 domestic cats have gone missing or been killed. The fields near Falkland Road has been mentioned as a danger area.
Facebook users such as Susan Terell are reporting gangs of youths deliberately setting their dogs on cats. They are sure that the cats have been killed by hunting dogs because of the nature of their injuries such as bite wounds. There are also reports of domestic cats being tortured as some have been discovered with burns.
The police have been notified but they say no one has come forward to report that their cat has been killed. Some residents feel the number of cats killed may be much higher than 41.
Susan Terrell’s FB post publishes a montage of two of the alleged gang members who are hunting with dogs at night (see above). Their faces are mildly pixelated. They are recognisable. The fair haired youth has the initials CP while the other has the initials MT. They are about 20-years-of-age.
It is claimed that CP’s dog jumped over a fence and attacked and killed a cat in front on their owner.
On the Facebook page of Hull Pets Lost and Found Willow currently features as a cat lost on 23rd December 2019.
Comment: There may be two reasons why cat owners are not coming forward in person to contact the police (1) fear of reprisals from the hunting dog gang members and (2) the alleged crimes occur at night making is difficult to gather hard evidence. However, the police have a good start with the montage on this page. They should get cracking and investigate these youths rather than make excuses for being inactive.
Historically British police de-prioritise animal cruelty. They believe that they have more important crimes to solve. They are wrong as animal cruelty begets cruelty and violence against people. Gang behaviour in deprived housing estates is not uncommon. It is a blight on Britain.
SOME PAGES ON CRIMES:
