Kirt Reynolds, 28, of Fuller Street, Cleethorpes, is convinced his four-year-old cat, Percy, would have been killed by two Staffordshire pit bull terrier-type dogs if Sarah Kemp had not intervened – less than a week after a similar incident in St Peter's Avenue.
Sarah, 27, confronted the dogs in an alleyway outside her home after being awoken by the noise of them knocking over her wheelie bin.
On going outside, she saw that one of the dogs, who were both with their owner but not on leads, had Percy it its jaws, and forced it to release him by punching it and pressing her thumb in its eye.
She shielded Percy under her dressing gown before calling a vet. He had suffered internal bleeding, broken ribs and a dislocated leg in the attack, which happened just after midnight on Saturday.
Kirt said: "If Sarah had not gone out and confronted the dogs, Percy would not be with us."
Kirt expressed his gratitude to other neighbours who came to Percy's aid before he was taken to the Blue Cross Animal Hospital. He is currently at Clee Veterinary Centre for observation.
Police are appealing for witnesses to call 101, quoting log 355 of September 1.
Meanwhile, the owner of the two dogs involved in the fatal attack on a cat in St Peter's Avenue has taken extra precautions.
Cornelius Lytollis, 32, says he is at a loss as to how his pet Staffordshire bull terriers Zeus and Achilles got out of his back yard on August 26.
Mr Lytollis was out when he received a call informing him that the dogs had got into a neighbour's back garden and killed her four-year-old cat, Roly.
He took the dogs straight to a kennel in Market Rasen and considered having them put down before having a change of heart.
He said: "I love them too much. They are the nicest dogs in the world and have no problems with humans."
They just like to kill innocent animals. Tell me how much you love them when they kill a child.
He has erected an eight-foot high steel fence behind the wall which separates his yard from the adjoining alleyway.
He is also making the internal doors of his house more secure, and said the dogs would be kept in large cages when no one was at home.
How many animals have to be mauled and killed, Cornelius Lytollis, before you realize you've got two killer dogs on your hands???
The cat owner, who did not wish to be named, had just called her five-year-old son inside when the attack happened. She said: "He looked out of the window and saw it. The owner apologised. If he's taken extra precautions to stop them getting out again, that's a step forward."
A Humberside Police spokesman said: "Officers are currently working to establish what happened with a view to taking appropriate action."
(Grimsby Telegraph - Sept 7, 2012)
