I SYMPATHISE with Patricia Hodgkinson over the loss of her cat in such circumstances. We too live with cats near a 'Right of Way' and have constant problems with uncontrolled dogs.
After the appearance of the dog the owners are often not to be seen for many minutes as their animals charge into our garden intent on killing our cats. So far, they have been able to escape up trees leaving us to evict the yapping, snarling creatures.
When the owners finally catch up they inevitably utter the standard mantra 'Oh he won't hurt you ..', and occasionally put the lead they have been carrying on the creature as a gesture of goodwill. I have even had to evict a snarling dog from our bedroom while it was attempting to attack our cat which had escaped under the bed.
When I suggested to the youth accompanying it that he might like to put it on a lead he just grunted and slouched off, hands in pockets with the dog still running wild.
It is not unusual to hear the yapping and baying of a crowd of unaccompanied dogs outside our house. On investigation their owners will inevitably be a hundred yards away while their dogs are displaying pack hunting behaviour in our garden.
The path near us is used by families out walking and has a stile nearby. It is common to see toddlers who have been lifted over the stile running on ahead while the parents catch up. If they were to encounter one of these packs the outcome would be unthinkable.
I agree with Patricia that dog owners should have at least a basic understanding of the type of dog they own and that they need to be held accountable for the acitons of their animals. I love dogs, and there are many responsible owners whose animals are a joy. It is the arrogance and ignorance of some of their owners I cannot abide. – Name and address supplied (St Briavels).