Cat owner 'disgusted' at dog owner's sentence

Cleo's owner said his life felt "empty at the moment" without his cat

A cat owner said he screamed in horror while watching a man encourage his dog to maul the pet to death.

Gary Truefitt said his property's CCTV footage showed Amos Price opening a gate and releasing his animal which savaged Cleo in Pelsall on 23 October.

The 60-year-old, who has been unable to find her remains, said he was "disgusted" by the sentence.

Price, 30, was jailed for 18 weeks after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

West Midlands Police described Price, also from Pelsall, Walsall, as "a yob". He was banned from keeping animals for life at Walsall Magistrates' Court last Thursday.

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Speaking about his cat's death, Mr Truefitt said: "I was screaming my head off at the screen. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"It would give me some sort of closure if I could have her cremated, if I knew where her body was. The dog carried her off after it killed her."

Amos Price was sentenced to 18 weeks after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to an animal

He said the sentence was not long enough and should have been more than 12 months.

"To go around and do that deliberately to someone's pet is disgusting," he said.

Price was captured on CCTV as he encouraged his dog to attack the cat

Mr Truefitt said life felt different without his cat.

"She's not there when I wake up in the morning, laying there on the bed. It just seems totally different in my flat now," he said.

"My life seems empty at the moment."

Mr Truefitt has been unable to find his cat's body after the dog ran off with it

West Midlands Police said the attack was "senseless and beyond any justification."

The unemployed father of two, who claimed he was drunk at the time, said he was "extremely ashamed and sorry."