Pet owner horrified as hunt dogs rip cat apart
AN AGEING pet cat has been ripped apart in her own garden by hunting dogs which had strayed from the main pack.
And now the cat's owner is calling for the Western Hunt to make sure its pack is properly trained and under control.
About 12 dogs had broken off from the rest of the Western Hunt meeting at Sennen last week and rampaged through the Crean Bottoms area before four or five of the dogs chased after and caught Molly, a 15-year-old cat belonging to Amanda Richardson.
She saw and heard the dogs roaming round her garden and actually witnessed the moment when Molly was ripped apart.
"I think they were hunting at the top of the valley and about a dozen peeled off and came down into Crean Bottoms," she said.
"The huntsmen were slow to realise that their dogs were missing and they were running wild round my garden.
"My other cat (Salmon) is younger and quicker and immediately ran to safety in the woodpile but Molly is older and she was chased round to the garden at the back of the house.
"I ran round screaming and kicking at them but they ripped her apart and disembowelled her – it was horrific; I was appalled.
"Molly was a very domesticated and beautiful cat."
Ms Richardson, who had owned Molly for 12 years, phoned Penwith dog wardens, three of them whom arrived very quickly but she said that they were unable to get the dogs under control and it was an hour and a half after Molly's death before huntsmen rounded up the final dog.
She says she doesn't blame the hounds but she does want the Western Hunt to ensure that such an incident never happens again.
"The dogs were only doing what comes naturally; they are bred to chase and kill animals – how can they tell the difference between a wild fox and a domesticated cat?
"But this wasn't the first time that something like this has happened – there've been a number of occasions over the 12 years that I've been here that some of the dogs have become detached from the main pack and have run wild in my and my neighbours' gardens.
"I want the Western Hunt to improve the quality of its dog control."
Master of the Western Hunt, Ben Sparrow, said he went round to Ms Richardson's house and apologised 'unreservedly' following the incident.
"We take every precaution we can but from time to time incidents like this occasionally happen.
"I've been in charge for about 1,500 hunt days and incidents like this are very rare – I generally have two whippers-in helping me."
Mr Sparrow said the Hunt will contact Ms Richardson every time the Hunt meets in the area, which is about five or six times a year.
● Rebecca Kirk, Penwith's chief environmental health officer, said officers were investigating the incident.
"The dog warden has confirmed that the lady concerned was understandably very distressed by what had happened," she said.
"The dog warden is now looking into whether any specific legislation has been breached and if it has then the appropriate legal action will be taken against the hunt."
61 Comments
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by Defender of the faith, Fursey
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 8:19AM
“"What about Religion.. More people die in the name of religion every year than foxes. Should we ban churchgoers? Rev Arthur 'Tally Ho' Harris., The Pulpit "
...that's right, only the other day the Anglican bishop ran amok and killed everyone in Basingstoke........*sarcastic mode off* .
This religion causes more deaths nonsense has been used by aethiests since the dawn of time......how can you blame something you don't believe in?........ It's people , plain and simple evil people kill people, Church people sing songs and pray...it's not hard to work out......”
by Catalyst, Cornwall
Thursday, February 26 2009, 1:22PM
“Hunting with hounds grew from the sport of the rich and titled of the land prancing about hunting deer. The hunts didn't even hunt foxes (they thought is was beneath them to hunt for vermin). The earliest record of hunting for foxes is in the mid 16th century, and it's the exception to the rule.
Gradually farmland became fragmented and broken by roads and hedges, deer hunting became more difficult, so to preserve their sport the toffs decided to hunt foxes instead. By the 19th century poor Mr Fox was dwindling in numbers and the hunts were in danger of losing their sport. So the imported foxes from France, Germany and Holland!!!
Whatever they say about controlling pests is utter rubbish. They are the pests that need controlling.”
by Fred, London
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 3:38PM
“Bertiebasset and Lucy - what lovely people you are!
Some of us HAVE gone and seen what the hunts do and perhaps this is why we are so anti-hunting. Interesting that you believe the cat owner was somehow at fault for leaving her cat outside in her OWN garden. Would you think yourself at fault if someone trespassed on your property and attacked you?
Not a word about how 'socially irresponsible' it was for the hunt people to let their hounds run amok. And how would you like a pack of hounds pooing in your veg patch?”
by Lucy, Penzance
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 2:45PM
“It would be a good idea if some of the grossly misinformed people commenting on this story actually went and saw what the hunts do, and familiarised themselves with the hunting legislation.
Yes its unfortunate that the cat was killed, but why did the owner leave such a vulnerable animal outside?
If any of you actually think that allowing a fox with mange or old age to die 'naturally' is kinder than being dispatched quickly then you really shouldn't be calling yourself an animal lover.”
by Bertiebassett, Around
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 2:34PM
“Hhmm,,It seem to me that this cat could just have likely run out into the path of a car!? I blame the socially irresponsible cat owner. One less cat to poo in my vege patch.”