Cat-killing dogs sentenced to death despite owner’s pleas

Two dogs that killed a cat and chased another up a tree will be destroyed, despite their owner saying they were simply acting on their natural instincts.

Tamamutu Kimura, 54, pleaded guilty in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday to owning dogs that attacked, failing to register a dog and having menacing dogs out without muzzles on.

The charges stem from October 2017, when his two dogs – Poppy the American staffie and Dave the staffie-argentino dogo cross – escaped his Cuba St, Palmerston North, house and attacked two cats.

One cat suffered minor injuries and escaped up a tree, but a second cat, Pippi, was killed.

Although Dave was restrained quickly, Poppy made her way back to Kimura’s house and was seen by an animal control officer jumping a 1.8-metre high fence to get into the backyard.

Kimura was in bed at the time, having recently had medical procedures done on his legs.

Dogs that attack animals or people must be put down, unless a court can be convinced the attack happened in exceptional circumstances.

Kimura said both dogs were usually chained up in the backyard and had never been known to jump the fences around the yard. The only way they could have got out was someone leaving the back and front doors open, and not putting them on their chain properly.

He lived with flatmates who had visitors throughout the day, so anyone could have left doors open, he said.

He had bred Dave and given him to someone else, but the dog was returned when that owner suffered personal problems, he said.

Poppy had been rescued and Kimura raised her because no-one else cared for her. He was strict with teaching them verbal commands, never beat them and let them have exercise by running around the yard before putting them back on chains.

‘‘They weren’t nasty. They were godly dogs. They were loved,’’ Kimura said.

It was ‘‘in their nature’’ to chase cats, he said.

‘‘Half the time the cats get away.’’ Dog control officer Ross Mcdermott said there had been multiple complaints about Dave roaming and he was classified as menacing after attacking a cat on a neighbour’s porch.

Poppy had also been seen roaming and was classified menacing because of her breed.

Judge Stephanie Edwards said it was concerning to hear Kimura talk about dogs chasing cats as natural.

‘‘It may be in many dogs’ nature to chase cats, but it is not necessarily in their nature to attack and kill them,’’ the judge said.

The fact nothing had changed at Kimura’s property since the attack and his admission that he did not own muzzles further added to her discomfort.

The law required her to act on the assumption any dog that attacked would attack again.

‘‘Nothing I have heard suggests the risk can be appropriately mitigated,’’ she said.

She ordered both dogs be destroyed and that Kimura pay $300 to Pippi’s owners.