Rottweilers set on cat in residential neighbourhood in Cork city; 'I can't say how sick I feel'

THREE Rottweiler dogs were set on a cat in a residential area in Cork city this week amid concerns about ongoing incidents of cat baiting. 

An eye witness told The Echo of seeing the incident in the Kilnap Avenue area earlier this week, as it emerged that the Cork Animal Care Society has concerns about cat baiting in the city.

According to the eye witness, a tabby cat was taken out of a car on Kilnap Avenue and then set upon by three Rottweilers on the street.

He said: "The cat tried running away, but it was trapped and the dogs began jumping in."

He said it was around midnight when the incident happened.

The following morning, he said the remains of the cat were found dumped on the road after the incident.

He added: "I can’t say how sick I feel because I did hear the dogs growling."

In a Facebook post earlier this week, the Cork Animal Care Society urged people in the Farranree area to lock up their cats because of two people going around the area and setting a dog on them.

The baiting practice is illegal under animal welfare legislation.

However, dogs, including terriers and lurchers, are being used for the activity, mainly carried out by teenagers and young men.

Last year, animal welfare groups urged caution to people who were selling or giving away cats, because people involved in the baiting were looking to adopt or buy cats solely for the purpose of baiting.

In one case in Cork city last year, a small dog was used as bait for older dogs.