Hunt hound rips cat to shreds in owner’s garden

A CAT was mauled to death in its owner’s back garden by a hunt hound which had strayed from its pack.

Helen Keyzor returned home to find that her 15-year-old pet, called Rosie, had been ‘ripped to shreds’ by the pointer.

The dog had wandered off from the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt in the hamlet of Norbury Junction, Staffordshire on Tuesday.

It ran through a neighbour’s garden and then pounced on Rosie on the Keyzor family’s rear lawn.

Mrs Keyzor, 55, who lives with husband Rob, 56, and their children, said the family was ‘ heartbroken’. She had looked after Rosie from a kitten – having received her as a 40th birthday present.

The self- employed mother said: ‘I came back home around midday. My neighbour told me Rosie had been attacked and killed by a hunting dog. I was numb with shock.

‘A boatyard worker was watching from across the road.

‘A few of the horses came into my garden and one of the riders jumped off her horse, picked up Rosie and carried her over to the pub.

‘My neighbour saw it all happen too and asked to see the cat and identified her.

‘The hunt then carried on and didn’t come back until about 4pm. During those five hours they were away, they left a

‘I was numb with shock’

hound behind which was roaming around Norbury Junction, in and out of our gardens.

‘ It was lucky another pet wasn’t killed.

‘The whole family is heartbroken by what has happened but I am also furious that this goes on and they seem to get away with it time after time.’

Mrs Keyzor complained to the hunt and received an apology, but was also told by an official that the dogs were ‘soft as a brush’.

Her Facebook post about the attack has been shared almost 10,000 times, and highlighted by BBC’s Springwatch presenter Chris Packham on Twitter.

She added: ‘ It is such an intimidating experience, there’s only about 12 houses in the village and they come tearing through it – it’s terrifying.

‘The organiser [of the hunt] is a vet, I just can’t get my head around that fact. Vets are supposed to save animals’ lives, not kill them.’ Rachel Smedley from the Countryside Alliance, said on behalf of the hunt: ‘An elderly cat was bitten and injured by one of our hounds.

‘Despite the efforts of hunt members to save it, the cat passed away before it could be taken to the vets.

‘The owners were visited early the same evening and we apologised unreservedly for this distressing incident.

‘The Albrighton and Woodland Hunt meets at least twice a week from September through to March and such incidents are extremely rare.

‘The hunt will be investigating this matter thoroughly in order to prevent any future occurrence.’ Staffordshire Police have confirmed they are investigating whether a criminal offence had taken place.

In January, hunt hounds were filmed rampaging through gardens in Oxhill, Warwickshire, with one dog approaching a householder’s six-month- old baby on a patio.

Saboteurs claimed the dogs were chasing a fox and accused the Warwickshire Hunt of doing nothing to stop them. The hunt apologised for the incident.

And last year, hounds ran amok in the grounds of a hospice in Lanchester during the Braes of Derwent Hunt in County Durham.