ONE of the city's cat killers has been caught and is on death row. The male bull terrier cross ? believed to be the ringleader ? will face the consequences of his killing spree around Gonville and Springvale later this week. Over 60 cats have been reported killed in Wanganui the pastnine months as two bull terrier cross' roamed the streets in the early hours of the morning. Traumatised cat owners spoke to the Chronicle earlier this month distraught at witnessing their cat's death in the jaws of the canines. Up to three dogs were witnessed doing the attacks, one described as white and another a browny/rusty colour. A third dog joined the attacks the week of the Chronicle's investigation, when 11 cats were killed. However, about 2.15am on Sunday October 15, a day after the Chronicle printed its story, Wanganui District Council dog rangers spotted the pair on Totara St. With help from Wanganui police, who set up cordons, one of the dogs was caught at the intersection of Puriri St. It wasn't an easy catch as the dogs were very skittery, weaving in and out of properties and over back fences. After catching the white dog ? which is actually cream-coloured ? the rusty coloured dog eluded them. It didn't run off scared, either ? it was spotted carrying on its hunt, weaving in and out of properties looking for cats. Dog ranger Bernie Compton said it was typical of hunting ? or killing ? dogs to be nervous and skittery around humans. Smithfield Rd resident Jason Clark, whose family's 14-year-old cat was killed by the dogs earlier this month, was pleased with the capture. "I'm very, very happy. And once they've got the other one I'll feel even better walking to work in the mornings. If I see cats around I think 'great, there's no dogs around'. It's definitely a peace of mind knowing that one is not going to be coming out at you." Although there had been no more reported cat killings since the capture, Mr Compton advised cat owners to keep their cats inside at night until the other dog is caught. Mr Compton was now concerned the remaining dog ? which is described as the "follower" ? would step up the ranks to become the new ringleader. "In six months' time it will mature and become the alpha dog and possibly have another dog running alongside it. So it is a problem. We've had a lot of elderly people ringing up and asking if it's safe to let their cats out. But the answer to that is no." Council policy analyst Stuart Hylton said the rangers have spent "a number" of nights out late trying to catch the dogs, who were "very streetwise" and "elusive". Mr Compton said the dog would be euthanased at the end of the week. Rangers would also like to speak to the owners of the unregistered dog, who are as yet unknown.
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