Two weeks ago, Star News reported on a cat called Roxy that was attacked and killed by what its owner, David Pringle, described as two “cross-type” stray dogs.

After hearing about the attack, two residents of Shirley reported losing their cats – and they believe the same dogs were responsible.

Kathryn Rutherford, of Bellbrook Cres, lost two cats in 11 days late last year and suspects they were killed by the same two dogs that attacked Roxy.

On November 13, Rutherford woke up to what looked like a cat fight.

But when she looked out the window, she saw her slinky cat being attacked by a dog with another nearby.

She described the attack as a murder scene and said there was blood everywhere.

“It was absolutely horrible. Just knowing how scared she would have been,” she said.

“I just held her… I didn’t want to let her go.”

Rutherford said Slinky’s injuries resembled how Roxy’s owner described her cat’s injuries, with her head half-parted.

Subsequently, Rutherford immediately brought her other cat Sweety-pie inside, fearing the same would happen to her, but let her out after a few days as she couldn’t stand being inside the whole thing. the day.

A week later, Rutherford’s fears came true when Sweety-pie was attacked by what she suspected to be the same dogs.

Rutherford believed Sweety-pie escaped the attack without major injuries, but later collapsed in the driveway and was taken to the vet.

She died 12 hours later from internal injuries and a seizure.

Rutherford contacted Christchurch City Council after each cat was attacked, but said she received the same response each time – there was not enough evidence to identify the dogs.

“It makes me angry,” she said.

“If it was a person attacking these people, they would be arrested and taken off the streets.”

Two weeks ago, city council said the video footage could be used in an investigation if it meets evidentiary requirements to clearly identify the offending dog.

One of Rutherford’s neighbors had CCTV footage of the suspected dogs roaming their property about 20 minutes before the Sweety-pie attack, but City Council staff could not confirm these were the same dogs.

Rutherford’s neighbor Anntonia Orchard had also lost a cat because of what she believed to be the same dogs.

She said between herself and her neighbors, they have lost five cats in the past five years “because of these dogs”.

Orchard also contacted city council following the death of his cat.

“It really makes me angry,” she said.

“There don’t seem to be any consequences (for dog owners).”

Orchard says people should be able to have pets without fear of them being killed, and she now fears for the lives of her seven cats.

“I worry about them all the time. I can’t keep them inside,” she said.

“Am I going to find them in pieces?” “

Orchard said it wasn’t just cats that had been attacked, but also chickens, rabbits and sheep, and she was considering starting a petition to stop the attacks.

“What more do we as residents of Shirley need to do to keep our pets safe?” “