Horror as cat Rusty dies of injuries after dogs attack

A TAYSIDE woman has described the terrifying moment her cat was mauled by two dogs in a “vicious” attack — with his injuries proving fatal.

Judy Gove, of Garvock Avenue, Montrose, said she and her husband David watched in horror as the two Staffie-type dogs grabbed beloved family pet Rusty and “threw him about like a rag doll”.

Rusty, 18, who only had three legs, died hours after being taken to the vet following the attack.

Judy, 58, a nurse, claimed the dogs had been wandering the streets alone for hours before the attack.

And she said she fears other animals — or even a young child — could be at risk from a future attack if the dogs are not dealt with.

She said that police were informed but no further action was taken and the matter had since been referred to Angus Council’s dog warden.

She said: “I heard this awful noise in the garden from Rusty.

“There was barking too, but Rusty was making this screeching sound, it was horrible.

“We looked out and saw two dogs’ backsides — they had backed Rusty into his small hut we have in the garden where he slept. One hauled the cat out and we were trying to get it off, but the dog had such a powerful grip.

“My husband kicked one of the dogs and it turned around but then just went back to the cat again. The dog was just gripping him and throwing him about like a rag doll.

“Eventually we managed to get the dogs off and put them in the back of our car to keep Rusty safe. He was so still, at that point we thought he was dead, but he was still breathing so we took him to the vet.”

The vet said Rusty had “multiple puncture wounds” and told them to check on his condition the following morning. However, Rusty sadly never made it through the night and died from internal injuries.

The dogs were collected by police who passed the animals to Angus Council dog wardens.

Judy added: “We are totally disgusted and so upset. Our grandchildren, Rylee and Bayley, just loved him.

“I’m a dog lover myself, we have three dogs. But those dogs need to be either put on muzzles, sent to someone who can look after them properly, or put down. What if that had been a young child they attacked?”