Loose dogs caught on camera killing pet cat in Yuba City, animal services increases patrols
YUBA CITY -- Loose dogs in a Yuba City neighborhood were captured on home surveillance camera fatally attacking a pet cat on the doorstep of its family's home on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old cat, Alfie, had to be euthanized after suffering internal injuries and a detached hip.
The incident happened on Drummond Drive near Shanghei Garden Park and is now being investigated by the Sutter Animal Services Authority (SASA).
"As owners, we have to be responsible for the behaviors of our dogs. We can't always stop a prey drive, but we can prevent them from killing things," Heather Sheridan said.
Before Alfie belonged to Sheridan's father, he was her little brother's indoor-outdoor companion. Sheridan said her brother passed away a few years ago, and Alfie helped them still feel connected to him.
"He [Alfie] was just a little reminder of him every day. We do miss him extra because of that. He was so spoiled, my dad would bring him home pieces of steak from dinner and Thanksgiving feasts. He was very loved," Sheridan said.
Home surveillance video captures the moments when a German shepherd and a medium-sized black dog approach Alfie, who was sleeping on the front doorstep. The shepherd instantly cornered and attacked the cat.
"They grabbed him and shook him. They got ahold of him a couple of times. Then, they took off. My dad ran out at the end of everything," Sheridan said.
Alfie retreated to his cat house outside and would not come out until the family took him to the vet.
Sheridan said that a friend who lives nearby said that her outdoor cat also died of injuries that appear to be from a similar animal attack. She just doesn't have video proof.
Neighbors want the dogs found and secured and for any owner to be held accountable.
"You know, you need to watch what your dogs do," said Elizabeth Robinson at Off the Leash Dog Park, less than half a mile from where the attack happened. "I think the owners, it really falls back to the owners."
A report was filed with the SASA. The agency told CBS13 that they do not know who the two dogs belong to, but they are patrolling the area daily trying to find them.
The SASA has not received any additional reports of attacks or evidence that the dogs are a threat to humans. They do consider the dogs to be "a danger to small animals" and are working to track them down.
"It seems like most of the sightings have been at night time," Sheridan said.
Home surveillance video captures at least two more sightings of the dogs — one clip shows the shepherd and black dog walking in the neighborhood, and another shows the black dog and a third smaller dog returning to Sheridan's father's porch on Drummond Drive.
She is now advocating for accountability and awareness.
"Ideally, I would like the dog to just not be killing cats. I don't want anyone else to go through what we had to go through. It was really traumatic and sad," said Sheridan. "I really feel like people need to get their cats in until we figure it out."
Contact Sutter Animal Services if you spot the roaming dogs.
