The cat's owners, Maria and Bill Dampier, said they're heartbroken and outraged, 6News' Myrt Price reported.
"It was like losing part of your family," Maria Dampier said.
Their beloved cat, named "Dungy" after former Colts head coach Tony Dungy, was killed after being attacked by two pit bulls.
The Dampiers said Dungy was special and they would often walk him through the neighborhood on a leash.
"I'm going to miss this cat," Bill Dampier said. "He can't be replaced."
Bill Dampier said the attack happened Saturday morning at around 10 a.m., when the cat was outside on a leash tied to the side mirror of the family's SUV.
Dampier said that's when the two pit bulls appeared.
"Dungy was so scared, he broke his leash and tried to get away, but the dogs caught him," said Dampier.
"There was nothing I could do."
Neighbors said they heard the commotion and ran over to help.
"I stepped out in the yard just in time to see the two dogs running across the street, carrying the cat.
One had the front half and the other had the back half," neighbor Mike Weaver said.
Weaver said he ran after the dogs, eventually forcing them to drop the cat.
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| Can you imagine the pain and terror "Dungy" felt when it was being mauled to death? |
"They both scurried past me and then I walked over and picked it up and carried it back over and gave it to Bill. Dungy was still alive, but in shock when I handed it to him. He just didn't make it because he had been traumatized too much," Weaver said. "(The dogs) were playing tug of war with the cat."
6News' Myrt Price obtained information about the dogs' owner's residence from a police report.
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| The wonderful containment system the owner had set up to keep their pit bulls from running loose and killing everyone |
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| Despite saying they weren't her dogs, the owner does live here and was cited. I'm guessing it's her and she doesn't have the guts to show her face. |
Although no one answered the door, a woman yelled through an open window of the home.
When asked for a comment about the death of the cat the woman denied owning the dogs.
"I wasn't at home when this happened, and they are not even my dogs," the woman said.
The cat's owners said Dungy was a Cornish Rex, which is a rare breed and costs about $900.
The owner of the dogs was cited and ordered to quarantine the animals for 10 days and prove that they've had their rabies shots, police said.
(6NEWS - May 21, 2011)
