Dog attack sends pet Buddy into hiding
‘‘Buddy literally hit the ground and ran, he was terrified. He just took off. We haven't seen him since.’’
Buddy, the affectionate Espresso to Go cat, has gone missing following a surprise attack from an unleashed dog.
Last Wednesday, Buddy (also known as Vivace) was chased by the pooch through the coffee shop and severely mauled in a neighbouring shop. No one has seen him since. Espresso to Go barista Maggie Scelly says an unleashed brindle staffordshire walking through town beside his owner caught sight of Buddy in the doorway and gave chase.
‘‘The dog virtually ran in here (Espresso to Go), out the back of the shop, into the hairdressers next door and caught buddy there. The owner ran in and told the dog to drop Buddy. He just leashed him (the dog) and left.’’
Scelly says she was unsure about the dog control laws, but didn’t think un-leashed dogs were permitted in the CBD.
Matamata-Piako District Council senior communications officer Adele Preston says under the dog control bylaw, dogs are prohibited in the central business areas between 8am and 6pm, seven days a week.
The only exception is if it is a service dog or attending a vet - even then the animals must be leashed. Dogs are not permitted in the CBD anytime off-leash.
Witnesses say Buddy had the dog’s nose in its teeth, causing lacerations to the canine.
Buddy was being crushed in the dog’s strong jaws. The noise of the dog’s growls and Buddy’s high pitched yowls was terrible.
Scelly says after being separated from the dog the terrified cat bolted. He is likely to be injured.
‘‘Buddy literally hit the ground and ran, he was terrified. He just took off. We haven’t seen him since. We came down in the dark calling him, he knows our voices so he will usually come, but there was no sign of him. We think he is injured and hiding somewhere.
‘‘It’s the not knowing if he is injured, or how badly, that makes things worse.’’
Buddy came to Espresso to Go two and a half years ago as a stray kitten.
He was roaming around the store front, hungry and scared and Scelly says they eventually managed to coax him inside and began to feed and take care of him.
He started to make himself at home and never left.
Scelly says if anyone has information about Buddys whereabouts, contact either Landmark Vets and Matamata Veterinary Services.