PET owners are being warned to be on their guard after a cat was mauled to death by a dog in High Ongar.
Heather Gilligan, 45, is distraught following the death of her three-and-a-half-year-old tabby Lizzie in a field near her home in The Street.
Mrs Gilligan, who lives with her husband John, told the Gazette: "She was dead when we found her – she was like a child to me and someone's dog has taken her away.
"My husband brought her inside and it was devastating.
"There is a dangerous dog out there and something needs to be done.
"I named Lizzie after my mum and she was such a lovely cat."
The cat's body was found by Mr Gilligan at around 7.30pm on Wednesday while he was out walking the couple's springer spaniel Harley.
"I was walking Harley and had just gone out into the field behind the house," recalled Mr Gilligan, who owns a demolition company.
"Then Harley picked up a scent and was running around.
"He suddenly stopped and was whining so I went over and there was Lizzie – lying dead on the ground."
Mrs Gilligan, an emergency medical co-ordinator with the London Ambulance Service, said: "When John brought her inside it was horrific. It has been incredibly upsetting.
"We just laid her down and cleaned her up but she was already dead."
She added: "Harley is eight months old and he and Lizzie had started to become good friends – she would sometimes follow us on his walks.
"Harley has been crying since it happened, whining and looking around – it has been very distressing for us."
The couple had two cats, Ernie and Lizzie, who were brother and sister.
Mrs Gilligan said: "Ernie was named after my father and Lizzie my mum.
"Ernie has been completely out of sorts since the incident.
"We just want to know if anyone saw anything – there is obviously a dangerous dog in the area and many people own cats around here, as well as the primary school being nearby.
"We wouldn't wish this on anyone and hopefully someone coming forward could prevent something even worse happening."
She added: "People should be able to control their dogs.
"We don't blame the dog, we blame the careless owner that should have been able to keep it under control."
After Mr Gilligan brought the cat inside they rang their vet.
He said: "The vet offered to try and work out how she had died and told us it was most likely a dog."
Jane Jackson, of House and Jackson Vets, Blackmore, said: "It is highly likely that it was a dog that broke the cat's neck.
"The cat was too large for a fox to attack it and badger attacks are far more vicious and messy. We do not see many attacks as fortunately it isn't very common."
An Essex Police spokeswoman said: "We have looked into this and there's no evidence of how the cat died and unfortunately we are unable to investigate further.
"If any more evidence came to light that suggested a crime was committed then we would investigate further."
