So sad -Edited

[kellij]

My eleven-year-old cat, Suzy, was killed tonight by my neighbors german shepard. I'm so sad. My husband and I left to run a quick errand and my mom let my cat out while she took my DS and DD on a short walk. We got back right after he killed her, he was still standing over her. It's just so sad, she was literally the sweetest cat ever. She'd let my kiddos pull her around and she just loved everyone. I am so angry at my neighbor. She said that they got out when she was putting her groceries up. I'm so thankful they didn't attack my kids, mom, or kill my cat infront of my kids.

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate your kind words and support. It truly means so much to me. It's just so hard to deal with the fact that something/someone you love can be gone in an instant. Especially difficult when you have no warning and she was so defenseless, she didn't have a shot.

We actually did contact animal control/welfare. The guy I spoke with said we could file a complaint, but if it's a first offense the owner would just have to go before a judge, tell the judge it's the first time, it doesn't happen, etc, and then they might have to pay a fine. The good thing is that if they are ever out again, or hurt anything again, they can be removed. So I'm glad that we got her death reported. It just really unfair that she's dead, and that they might have to pay a fine. Plus, as you all said, I'm very nervous about my children being out. We have a garage that is behind the house, so that part isn't gated. So if they got out and we were in the back, they could come around.

After we initially told her that her dog killed our cat, my husband went back and talked to her more. He told her about our concerns. She said something about how there are dogs all the time that are running around in the neighborhood, and he pointed out to her that none of them have ever killed anything. She said that she got the dogs five years ago because there were a lot of break-ins and her husband travels a lot. First of all, I live in the safest neighborhood in town, and we live in Norman, OK. It's not known as a dangerous place to be. She said she felt bad and understood because before she had the big dogs, her shih tzu got killed by a big dog. WTH? I can't believe she'd buy big dogs after seeing a little one get killed. Anyway, so I'm still angry and sad, but I don't know what else I can do.

Thanks again for your hugs and thoughts, it really does mean the world to me.

[cdlamis]

Oh wow. I am heartbroken for you. We lost a dog a while back and I still mourn that loss- I CANNOT imagine seeing it.
I am so sorry for you.

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6/02
and Bella 12/04
"http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif"

[Wife_and_mommy]

Oh, my. I'm so sorry.

I esp. hate hearing it's a GSD since I have one. I hope the dog(s?) don't have agression issues with people. How scary. :(




http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url] http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]

I love them most when they are sleeping.--Me
http://b4.lilypie.com/HSUwm4.png
http://b2.lilypie.com/UgAXm5.png

[Marisa6826]

Oh NO! I'm so sorry.

Your neighbours had NOTHING to say besides mentioning the dog got out while bringing in groceries??!

Did you report it to the police? A dog like that needs to be monitored.

Again, I'm so sorry about Suzy. :(

-m

[shilo]

i'm so sorry for your loss. it's so hard to loose a beloved cat, especially in such a traumatic fashion. my childhood cat was killed by a neighborhood dog a few years back. he was about 15. i hadn't been living at home for many years, but i still remember how awful that felt - i'm so genuinely sorry you have to experience that. i think you are absolutely within your rights to discuss aggression issues and your fear for your kids with the dog's owner.

lori

[alleyoop]

OMG. I am so sorry! Do you worry about the dog with your kids? That is just aweful.

[Puddy73]

Hugs!!!! I'm so sorry! I can't imagine how awful that must have been for you to see.

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle 9/08/03 & Finn 10/31/05

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane." - Jimmy Buffett

[dr mom]

Kelli, I am so sorry. Losing a beloved family pet is like losing a family member, and I know you are in mourning for Suzy.

If you have concerns about the neighbor's dog, you may want to consider notifying animal control - the dog was not restrained, it behaves aggressively, it killed a family pet. You would be well within your rights to do so. Of course it won't bring back your beloved Suzy, but maybe you can prevent this tragedy from happening to anyone else.

I am shocked at your neighbor's seemingly thoughtless response. I would be heartbroken and mortified if my dog ever harmed someone's pet. Your neighbor owes you an apology, and an explanation of what she is doing differently to prevent this from happening again. Involving animal control will ensure that she follows through.

Again, I am so sorry that your family is grieving the loss of a loved companion and friend.

[Moneypenny]

That's terrible! I'm so sorry!!
Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]

[Nicsmom]

That is horrible. So, so sad. ((Hugs)) to you and your family.

[Lovingliv]

I agree.

I am so sorry. This is an awful situation. Big hugs to all of you.

[Jacksonvol]

Oh Kelli, I am so sorry. I know how special kitties can be and how much it hurts when one dies. I understand your angry feelings and know how deeply it can tear at you. I hope you can talk to your neighbor about your anger and your fear and that she will hear you. take care.

[maestramommy]

How horrible! I'm so sorry. What an awful way to lose your beloved pet. I would report your neighbor's dog.

[Jenn98]

I agree with Cindy - that is just horrible! (((hugs))) to you mama.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I am so sorry that this happened.

I would be lobbying hard to get the neighbors to put up a fence or something like those Invisi- fences.

((Hugs))

Beth

[Jenn98]

Good point. Check into your city's leash laws. It seems to me that most cities have laws that say a dog must be on a leash or behind a fence at all times. Call the city and ask.

[dules]

I am so sorry for your loss. Your poor kitty. I hope she did not suffer. :( My best cat friend was hit by a car in our condo complex, between a speed bump and a stop sign. The limit in there was 10MPH and he was a smart guy - I don't know what happened, I just hope it was quick. I think I cried every day for a year at least.

As for the dog, if I were you I'd perhaps call a vet and see what they think of the behavior, since animal control didn't really help out. Not that the vet could *do* anything, but s/he might have good advice for dealing with the animal should you ever encounter it again, etc.

I totally agree with PP's that you need to be super careful of yourself and your kids. Can you get a fence? AND I'd be totally upset with the neighbor - it's HER responsibility to control her dog.

I do want to point out, though, that not all big dogs are bad. When I was growing up, my dad traveled a lot for business and we always had a dog for companionship and safety. We had 2 german shepherds (1 purebred when I was in middle school - college, one lab cross when I was a toddler - late middle school) and both were great watchdogs but gentle giants. They never bit anyone or any other animal, ever (though they made a lot of scary noise if another dog came into our yard or if someone came to the door).

Your neighbor's dog has proven a will to attack and I am absolutely not questioning that. Just wanted to put in $.02 that not all big dogs are vicious.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss and hope that you find peace soon. :(


Mary

[buddyleebaby]

Just sending you ((hugs)).
I am sorry.

[MamaMolly]

I am so ery sorry for your loss! We were sadly on the other side of this terrible situation several years ago, and I have to agree with the PPs that I am appalled with your neighbor. When our beast of a GS scaled our fence (5 foot) and killed a stray kitty right in front of my DH it was the end of the dog. No, no no we didn't put him down, but I did find a no kill shelter for him to live out his days.

Like you, I had to think of the neighborhood children, my own kitties, and my own sense of well being. I just couldn't trust the dog after that. Can you encourage your neighbor to fence or share the cost of completing your fence?

Hugs!

[kellij]

Ugg, I wish my neighbors would feel the same as you. I don't think she is very sorry at all. I would just feel so much better if I felt like they were truly contrite. It seems like they would feel about the same if they had killed a wild turtle or squirrel or something. Not that it would bring her back, but at this point I feel like they think her life was worth less than their dogs' lives. Not to mention that they just aren't taking it seriously enough. She just said that the dogs have never gotten out before, and that they wouldn't attack a human. I'm not sure how she can be sure of this. The whole time my husband was talking to her, the dogs were standing at the gate snarling at him.

They actually live down the street from us. They have a gate, and supposedly one behind it that her dogs just got out of. We also have a fence, but our driveway is on the side of our house and goes around to the back. So we can't have our driveway fenced in and that's where she was. We do have a gate I can pull across our driveway, which I will definitely be doing from now on if we're in the back.

[lisams]

I am so sorry for your loss, I can't even imagine. How scary to have such an agressive dog living so close with an owner who doesn't seem to understand how serious this is. I would worry about the children.

[gatorsmom]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I would definitely report it. Even if the owner did just have to go in front of a judge, that's not something I would want to have to do. And it sounds like the dog was on your property. I'd warn her if I ever found her dog on your property again, I'd take it to the humane society (or worse). I have very little patience with people who care so little about others.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[elephantmeg]

I'm so sorry!

[Mamma2004]

Oh my gosh, Kelli, I am soooooo sorry! My heart breaks for you and your family.

Our beloved dog passed away very unexpectedly just two weeks ago and we are all still in shock and in a terrible state of grief. I cannot imagine what you endured, though, as a neighbor's negliglence was ultimately responsible for the tragic loss of your sweet Suzy. My heart really goes out to you, your DH and your kids.

I am very sorry for your loss and I hope that you and your family will ultimately be able to heal.

Many hugs to you!

Stephanie

[Marisa6826]

Kelli-

Was just thinking about this - did you happen to take pictures of the 'crime scene' and of Suzy's body? I know that in all the chaos, it likely didn't occur to you. But if it did, I bet it would help demonstrate how badly the dog was out of control. Also, while the details are still fresh in your mind, write down everything you can remember (your DH, too). It can't hurt to have a written diary of the event.

Is there any way to find out if there are previous records about this dog? If nothing else, I would demand vax records from the owner so that should the dog ever bite one of your family members (God forbid), you would at least have them on file to take with to the hospital.

hugs

-m

[squimp]

I'm so sorry about your cat. That's awaful, and you're right it would have been such a horrible thing to watch. FWIW, I think you did the right thing by reporting the dog - at least there will be a record if this happens again.

[Radosti]

I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart aches for you. Unfortunately, that's the name of the game. If your cats are indoor/outdoor, there is a good chance they'll be killed by a predator. That's why I am terrified of letting my cats outside. All of our cats when I was little had been indoor/outdoor and we'd be getting a new cat every year and my parents never learned their lesson. While I was too little to fully comprehend the loss of the other cats, when my best cat friend Masha went missing at the age of 3, I was heartbroken. I was 7 years old and we had moved. I made my parents come back and search for her... all the neighbors were on alert. But Masha was never found. I learned my lesson.

In defense of the dogs. And I'm not defending them per se. They may very well be dangerous. But not all dogs with high prey drive are dangerous. I am only stating this to alleviate your fear for your children. Dogs with high prey drive will kill cats. My heart dog, Rocky, killed everything he could catch within my parents' 5 foot fence. I've rescued many creatures from his jaws until the creatures learned to stay out of that yard. Rocky lived to be 12 years old. When he came to stay at my house while my parents were on vacation, he would literally restrain himself from killing my cats (because they belonged to me), but it was almost sending him into heart failure. So, when Rocky stayed here, the cats stayed in a bedroom, away from Rocky. I would not have put it past Rocky to kill one of my cats and since I valued both him and the cats, I kept them separate. In his early years, Rocky tried to kill any dog that came near him, but with a lot of effort and training, he got over that behavior.

Yet, despite that, Rocky was the favorite teddy bear of every kid in my parents' neighborhood. He could sit for hours in the same position while a skittish kid worked up the nerve to pet him. Rocky knew that kids were to be loved and protected at all times. Cats, bunnies, chipmunks and moles were not that lucky.

And please don't get offended because while I can say all this as an impartial observer... if my cat ever got out and a neighbor's dog killed it and I caught it in the act, the dog would most likely get at least a severe beating from me and would never even think of harming another animal again. Emotions run high in a situation like that.

[kellij]

I would be a lot less nervous about the giant german shepards if they didn't bark and snarl like they were going to tear our heads off when we ride bikes down by that end of the street. They are very threatening. In general I'm not afraid of big dogs, or worried that they will hurt my kids, but these dogs just seem more intimidating than any others I've seen, besides the pit bull that mauled a child infront of my parents.

The thing is, Suzy was literally in the house about 90-95% of the time. 100% during the winter. She just loved to sun on the driveway and my mom let her out when she took my kids on a walk. Believe me, I am so angry at myself for ever letting her out and I feel so guilty; it's my fault that she's dead. I had a similar experience that you did growing up, our cats were strictly outdoor and never lived very long. I didn't let them out at all for several years, but they always wanted out and eventually I caved. Since mine are inside the vast majority of the time, she got to live to be almost 12. But before we moved here, they were only allowed out in the backyard. The way this house is set up, they are usually just in the back, but she ventured to the side of our house. I can't believe I didn't think about it. I honestly, naively, never thought about a dog getting out from down the street and killing her. Now I will. I worried about cars, but she didn't go in the street. Literally, she never went out into the street and if someone was coming home and she was out, I made sure she was in. They slept inside every night and they had to be inside when when we left the house.

I had a cat that was killed when I was a teenager because my aunt let him outside and my mom was shutting the garage door, so it shut on his neck. So I bought a new garage door opener with sensors when we moved here, plus if they were going to be in the garage, I'd stare at the door until it is shut.

I thought of all of these potential tragedies, but I just didn't think about a dog getting out and killing her. I should have. She had to pay for my ignorance with her life. I'll never forgive myself.

[kellij]

I hadn't thought about the vax records. I did actually take two pictures of her right after she died. I thought that if we needed to prove how she died later for any reason, it would be better to have the pictures. I'm dreading downloading them onto my computer though. I can't even pick up my camera because I know they were the last pictures I took. I'm going to have to take happy pictures this weekend.

I don't know how to find out about a previous record. I assume there isn't since the guy said if there was another complaint it could be removed.