Wandering dogs are killing wandering cats. It is all our fault. How do we feel about causing this pain and distress?
It does not matter on which side of the Atlantic you live, feral dogs or wandering domesticate dogs, are a danger to outdoor cats, including, of course, feral cats. But how big a problem is it?
We hear a lot about feral cats and the “health hazard” they represent to us but I don’t recall seeing much about feral dogs and the ongoing raw danger they represent to people and their outdoor cat companions.
The problem of roaming feral dogs, or domesticated but out-of-control dogs, killing cats and being a danger to people appears to occur with similar regularity in the UK and USA based on press reports but that is misleading. The law in the UK curbs irresponsible dog ownership.
There was a recent case in Cleveland, USA. It is not known if the dogs are truly feral or wandering pets.
In attacks that occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, a pack of three or four dogs were the culprits. They roamed and killed – we are told 15 cats so far. They killed cats without an apparent motivation to eat but simply to kill. One of the cats was living in a shelter and was dragged from it and killed. The dogs appear to be well fed and outdoor domestic dogs. They were a variety of breeds: Doberman and Labrador for example.
In a similar story across the pond, also from October 2014, a pack of three “wild dogs” have been roaming around the town of Strood in Kent, UK. One resident said the dogs looked like hyenas. She was referring to the coloring and markings. They are much smaller than a hyena. They are probably more like the African wild dog. These dogs appear to be genuinely feral and I wonder if they are African wild dogs.
You only need to watch the first 30 seconds on this video to see the dogs but the attack on a cat takes place towards the end I believe:
The same gang of canine killers had killed earlier. The first attack was on a black cat named Coco, a much loved companion. In all, seven cats have been killed on this housing estate.
“Coco was a one in a million cat who we’ll miss so much. They (the dogs) may well go for a child if they are hungry enough – they pose a big threat.” (Amanda Tye, 32, Coco’s owner).
On both occasions the authorities did not find the dogs to capture them. This is probably one of the problems: how to track the dogs down, capture and if necessary euthanise. Then there is the wider issue of stopping these events happening through improving dog ownership.
The problem as I see it a double whammy: irresponsible cat and dog ownership. All cats should be kept in until the problem is resolved.
Dogs can be a nuisance barking constantly here but thankfully it’s rare to see one loose outside their own garden. But what I can’t understand is why people don’t take them for walks nowadays, there’s at least 3 in our street who never, or very rarely, get taken out.
They are too occupied on their smartphones or on Facebook or it is the modern lazy culture 😉 Maybe. I think today people tend to lack the discipline of years ago.
Or on an X box (whatever that may be) as happened here with dogs yapping late at night out in the garden, he couldn’t hear them himself because of being on his.
Agreed. Dogs take first place and there are never any consequences.
Animal Control is about the most useless thing that ever dropped on this planet when it comes to cat welfare.
I caution you not to harm the dogs, Geri, no matter how mad you are. But, being the bitch that I am, I would call AC/kill shelter to request that they bring you 2-3 traps large enough for nuisance dogs and use them. Should they deny, get on the phone with a county commissioner and demand compliance.
What really troubles me are loose dogs. If a cat is loose it might attack another cat. But .. a dog will attack another dog, a cat .. possibly a person.
It angers me that people abandon pets and just toss them away like trash or leave them to fend for themselves or the horrid things they do to animals (It’s sickening). Man is the worse when it comes to how he treats others .. far worse than any other species (likely combined) in what he destroys or allows to happen through greed, negligence, apathy, lack of caring, indifference, compassion, etc. It may seem harsh .. but it doesn’t make it not true. If people could care about other things … maybe there would be less crime, hatred, and abuse that happens all too frequently. Makes me ashamed to be a part of the human race.
My sentiments entirely. I lost faith in humankind decades ago 😉 I suppose that was obvious! As a species we are hopeless. Individual people are great.
I think in the UK, loose dogs running wild is not very common. Most of the serious and fatal dog attacks have taken place indoors, often in the owner’s home. I think the tightening of the law was done with that particular problem in mind.
I know in other countries they have a real problem with dogs running wild. In poorer areas that may simply be because the animals are homeless, but I wonder if it’s also because some people have their dogs live outdoors in a kennel, making it easier for them to escape onto the streets?
They’re definitely not African wild dogs, their tails generally have a bushy white tip. Unfortunately they’re either the pets of irresponsible owners or have been abandoned and left to fend for themselves.
I must admit I haven’t seen any strays or dogs running loose in my Bedfordshire neighbourhood for years. Every day I regularly see people walking their dogs on leads in all kinds of weathers.
Bad owners are thankfully a minority and hopefully the tightening of the UK legislation on the control of dogs, will push their numbers down even further.
Me neither. I have not seen a stray dog for ages. But they are common in other countries such as in Eastern Europe and in Asia. And possibly not uncommon in the USA. Perhaps this UK wild dog story is extremely rare.
I would bet my bottom dollar that the top photo may be a Jack Russell.
I, actually, love all animals, even dogs; but, Jack Russells are hunters and have killed many cats in my neighborhood.
When I confronted my Jack f-cking Russell neighbor, she looked at his bloody snout and asked, “What did you do my honey?”
I was so furious that all I can say is that the dog has found a new and loving home in the forest where Geri resides.
lol mess with Dee if you dare!
The message is don’t kill cats.
I was so mad; but, I could never harm an animal and kept reminding myself that hunt and kill is their nature. They really are darling little S.O.B.’s but killers nonetheless. It wasn’t his fault at all. His people kept opening the door and letting him run loose.
Worse things could have happened to him besides being rehomed. He could have become road kill here (just wondering if the statute of limitations has expired for dognapping. I believe so).
He has found a very welcoming and loving home where he can run freely and chase all the squirrels he wants. But, HA!Ha! he can’t climb trees.
I have only seen a couple of free roaming (possibly feral) dogs here in my entire lifetime. That pretty much never happens.
He’s much better off! Sometimes we just have to help matters along 😉 x
I don’t think we have any feral dogs in England and now the latest law says dogs must always be kept under control by owners in public and in their own home and garden. Good news for postmen and delivery people and hopefully, cats won’t be attacked by loose dogs because the owner will be prosecuted.
Perhaps we have wandering domestic dogs but as you say the law should curb this. I hope the law works!