An anguished Angus family whose cat was killed say they feel let down by the justice system.
Having watched in horror as their kitten was mauled by a dog off the lead, the Soutar family from Letham have now been told the Crown has dropped a possible criminal case on the grounds of insufficient admissable evidence.
They say they are shocked that the person whose control a group of dogs was under will not face prosecution and they are considering a civil action in the case.
As Mrs Kathleen Soutar relived the trauma of the attack on nine-month-old Buttons, she said she was upset and angry that no-one will be held responsible for the incident the family’s second pet loss in less than a year.
The attack happened in May when Mrs Soutar’s husband Ally and his father Don were in the garden of the family’s North Watson Street home.
“Ally and his dad were in the garden sorting a trampoline which had been damaged in the high winds that week, and Buttons was up near the house,” said Mrs Soutar.
“I watched a group of seven dogs passing with a woman, only one of which was on a lead. Two of the dogs jumped over the garden wall between the house and the hedge and one came up and attacked Buttons.
“It got a hold of her and threw her about. Ally and his dad tried to get the dog off and Buttons ended up crawling into the hedge to try and get away.”
In the immediate aftermath it was apparent the pet had suffered dreadful injuries, a situation confirmed by the family’s vet when X-rays revealed a broken neck.
“She was paralysed and we were advised that she should be kept in overnight,” Mrs Soutar added. “We were going to take her to specialists in Glasgow the next day, but she died during the night.”
“It was horrible to see what happened. I saw her walking the dogs, heard the commotion and went out … I was hysterical screaming at the door.
“Thankfully my daughters Chloe (12) and Charlie (9) just missed it by five minutes or I dread to think what they would have been like.”
The matter was reported to police and statements taken from the four adults at the house when the attack happened. Concerns are known to have been voiced at Letham Community Council just days before the incident about the same individual walking groups of dogs around the village.
Continued…
The trainer who The Courier has tried to contact subsequently paid the Soutars’ vet bill of almost £300 for the treatment of Buttons on the night of the attack.
“I did not speak to her at the time and have never spoken to her since. I didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardise the court case.”
To their dismay the Soutars have now learned that there will be no criminal proceedings.
A spokesman for the procurator fiscal’s office confirmed the matter had been marked no proceedings due to insufficient admissable evidence.
“We were told that this woman was not going to be charged and are so angry and upset that there are to be no proceedings,” said Mrs Soutar. “The police said they had enough interviews and told me that she was charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
“I understand accidents happen but these dogs were out of control and the very next night they were down the road again, off the lead.
“What’s going to happen are they going to wait until it’s a kid next?”
Mrs Soutar added, “We just wanted to see some control over this situation. I thought justice would be done in the case and we just feel so let down by the justice system.”
The May attack came just eight months after the Soutars warned pet owners to be on their guard after the family’s five-year-old cat was savaged by another animal and had to be put down.