Auckland cat killings: Roaming dogs maul beloved pets

Auckland pet owners have been left in tears after roaming dogs mauled their cats to death in a series of attacks.

A Sandringham resident is tormented after she saw her companion clenched between the teeth of two unknown dogs.

Elizabeth Gedye told the Herald she had been left distraught after seeing Mr Earl, her beloved tabby, hanging from the dogs’ mouths at about 10.30pm on January 17.

Gedye said she had heard a loud bang which woke her up, it was as if something was struck against the shed.

“I ran to the back door past the laundry and saw these two dogs had a cat in their mouth and they were dragging it along.

“I yelled at them ‘get out’ and they went running.”

But what happened next was beyond belief, Gedye said.

“When I saw what happened it was not what I expected. I was in tears. They had ripped his stomach open, you could see all his insides.

“He [the cat] turned his neck and I said to him ‘it’s alright … it will be okay’. I picked him up and put him in the box next to my laundry where he died.”

Gedye said both the dogs were slender and came up to her knee.

“They weren’t large dogs. The next morning I rang my daughter in tears, and later in the day, I put a post up on Facebook. I was surprised to see so many others had been in my position.”

Mr Earl was adopted by Gedye when he was left alone by people who lived in the area, she said.

“He just moved in. He has been in the neighbourhood for seven to eight years. We adopted him in June last year. A very friendly and cuddly cat.

“This sort of thing should never have happened.”

Gedye said she was left distraught by the tragedy.

“Not long before he was sitting in my kitchen while I was having tea, talking with me. He was an older cat so he might not have heard anything. Nobody’s pet should be hurt like that.”

Gedye had Mr Earl cremated.

Earlier this month, five cats were killed and other pets attacked by two roaming dogs in a Glen Innes neighbourhood.

Residents said the dogs had never been in the area before. One neighbour had seen the dogs get off and taken away in a white Nissan van.

“In less than two hours these two dogs were here, they caused huge damage, and nobody knows if they’ll be back, or who they’d attack next,” a resident said.

A neighbour who has a camera was able to identify the van’s number plate and reported it to the police.

Auckland Council animal management had been investigating with stepped-up patrols in the East Auckland suburb and urged locals to come forward with information following the attacks.

Officers were also trying to determine if a dog impounded by animal control officers two weeks ago was involved in the attacks.

A Browns Bay resident told the Herald his very elegant family cat, Basil had been missing since New Year’s Eve 2022 when two dogs were seen entering and roaming his Montclair Rise property.

“Basil was a very handsome cat who had a routine. We have had him since 2004, he came here in 2007 after being in quarantine. He was about to turn 19, an old cat. He never went far, in the summer he would sleep outside on the deck and was always at the door early in the morning for a feed.

“He couldn’t defend himself, and wouldn’t have heard them coming.”

The security footage from the night showed the dogs running around the deck to where Basil usually slept, the cat owner said.

“We showed the footage to the animal management officer. You can see one of the two dogs is walking awkwardly as if holding something but it is insufficient so the officers couldn’t build a case against the dogs.

“However, the dog owners were served an infringement notice.”

The man said he had spoken with other neighbours in his street who had experienced similar intimidating encounters with the same pair.

“One lady had her little dog chased after by these two dogs, and when she confronted the owner they were aggressive and threatening, giving weird excuses.

“I noticed a slogan on the dog owner’s car when one time he came to pick up the roaming dogs, it suggested the dogs would have been used for pig hunting. The dogs are very big and strong.

“I have not yet been able to find Basil or his remains. I am sure he is no more. I am just concerned for little kids if these dogs go on another rogue spree.”

Auckland Council animal management manager Elly Waitoa said in this case they responded to an incident in Browns Bay where a homeowner was woken in the early hours of the morning on December 31 by noises from two dogs on his property.

“Later that morning, he discovered his cat was missing and notified Animal Management. The cat has not since returned.

“Although CCTV footage did not show the cat being carried away, it allowed Animal Management to identify the dogs and issue an infringement notice to the owners. We believe this was an isolated incident as we have had no reports of cat attacks in this area before or after this incident, however, patrols have been increased in the area and our investigation is ongoing.

“We would like to remind dog owners that issues can arise when dog owners allow their dog to roam beyond their property. The dog’s sense of its territory can expand to the surrounding area, increasing the likelihood of aggressive behaviour and attacks.

“In order to keep our communities safe and prevent dogs from causing harm to beloved pets, people or wildlife, we urge people to be responsible dog owners and keep their dogs contained or under control at all times.”

Waitoa said they had received two reports regarding two roaming dogs attacking cats in the Sandringham area.

“An officer was dispatched to patrol and investigate but at this stage, we still don’t have enough information to positively identify the dogs involved.

“We are saddened to hear about the loss of these beloved pets and we welcome any information that would assist us in the investigation.”

Their officers were currently following up on all leads while continuing to patrol the area, Waitoa said.

“Our current information relates to two cats being attacked and we appeal to anyone who might have witnessed the attacks or have information to call the council on 09 301 0101.

“While this investigation is ongoing, we do want to remind all dog owners to take all possible steps to ensure their dogs are kept safe, secure and contained on their properties and do not allow them to roam. This will go a long way towards keeping our communities safe.”