UNITED KINGDOM -- A HEARTBROKEN mum who claims her pet cat was mauled to death by a neighbour’s dog hit out yesterday after being told the case has been thrown out at court.
Karen Hallan and her children have been left devastated by the death of their beloved cat, Tipsy.
A neighbour – Lorraine McCann – was charged with allowing her Staffordshire Bull Terrier to kill Tipsy but denied the offence.
Now Karen has been told the charge against Ms McCann was thrown out at Paisley Sheriff Court because no child or adult was involved in the dog attack.
“I feel let down by the courts,” said 31-year-old Karen. “I was shocked when I was told the case wouldn’t be going ahead.
“They’re saying the case was thrown out because there wasn’t any risk to a human in the attack but, to me, a life is a life, even if people don’t think that cats are very important.
“It seems to me that someone needs to be attacked before the courts are willing to do anything about a dangerous dog and I find that really disappointing.”
Mum-of-four Karen claims that she and her young sons could only watch in horror as Ms McCann’s dog mauled Tipsy.
The cat died instantly when it was bitten on the head in the back garden of a block of flats in Morar Drive, Foxbar, Paisley.
Karen – who lives with her partner Ian and children Christopher, nine; Jack, seven; Sophie, three; and five-month-old Ryan – said: “I was absolutely horrified when I saw the dog go for Tipsy. She was such an affectionate wee cat and I’d had her for 10 years and loved her to bits.
“She never stood a chance as that dog bit into her head.
“What’s worse is that Christopher and Jack saw it happen too. They were terrified and Christopher has been having nightmares about what happened.
“Since Tipsy was killed, I have kept the kids away from the back garden and we’re moving away from Morar Drive soon.”
Ms McCann, 27, was accused of being the owner of the dog when it was dangerously out of control and attacked the cat in Morar Drive in March.
The charge stated that the dog bit the cat on the head and shook it violently until it was dead.
Ms McCann denied the charge and was set to stand trial before it was successfully argued that a legal loophole should lead to the case being dismissed.
The decision has infuriated Karen and Ian, who have hit out at the justice system.
Ian, 35, said: “In my opinion, that dog is obviously out of control and it now has a taste for blood, so I find it shocking that it has been allowed to remain with its owner.”
Ms McCann was not available for comment when the Paisley Daily Express visited her home yesterday.
No-one at the Crown Office was available to discuss the case against Ms McCann.
(Paisley Express - May 31, 2011)
