Bull terrier arrested for killing cat

In a scenario that could have developed in the aftermath of a Tom and Jerry cartoon, the owner of a cat-killing dog threatened legal action against Sir Paul Condon, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, yesterday, writes Matthew Brace.

Lisa O'Brien, 23, of Bexleyheath, Kent, was distraught at the arrest of her English bull terrier, Lucy. Ms O'Brien's solicitor, Trevor Cooper, said that the seizure of the dog on Friday afternoon was unlawful and fears that she could languish behind bars for months while the case is dealt with.

"Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, Lucy would have to have injured a person, not a cat. The police said that because the lady whose cat it was was in shock, that meant she had suffered an injury," he said.

Scotland Yard said the writ had not been received.

"If this attack had been on a child there would have been uproar, but because it's a cat nobody cares as much, but we think it is a serious matter," a spokeswoman said.

Last night Lucy's fate was hanging in the balance.