A RALLY has been held calling for swifter action against irresponsible dog owners after unleashed dogs recently killed a cat and traumatised it’s owners.

Over 50 people turned up last Saturday morning to support the owner of a popular local cat called Morgan, who was killed by two unleashed Staffordshire bull terriers being walked down a residential street in Hanwell.

No action has yet been taken by police against the owner of the uncontrolled dogs, who was present during the attack which left a popular cat dead and it’s owners bitten and traumatised.

Morgan who was savagely killed by two unleashed Staffordshire bull terriers

The cat’s owners, Kim and Matthew Jeatt, Coldershaw Road, Hanwell, who are in their 50s, desperately tried to save Morgan who was 15, from the two dogs who had chased him onto their drive.

After the attack police officers told Mr Jeatt that as it took place on his driveway there was nothing they could do. However since May this year legal protection has been extended to those attacked on private land.

Mr Jeatt said: “I am astounded at the slow response from the police as after almost two weeks there has still been no action taken against the dog owner.

Matthew Jeatt with a picture of Morgan

“More than 50 people joined us on the town hall steps to protest about the time it is taking to deal with the owner and his dogs. It has now been 11 days since the attack and no action has been taken against them and therefore they are almost certainly still walking the neighbourhood.

“Many of my neighbours were happy to demonstrate to express a very real fear that our street and others are still at risk from these out of control dogs and their owner.”

Rupa Huq the Parliamentary candidate for Ealing Central and Acton and Councillor Binda Rai - portfolio holder for Children and Young People both attended to express their concern and support.

Over 90 signatures were also collected in just an hour to a petition that stated: “We the undersigned call upon Ealing Council and the Metropolitan Police to take urgent action to remove the threat of dangerous dogs and dangerous owners in our community”.

Acton and Ealing Central MP Angie Bray said: “The Government, urged on by MPs like myself, has since legislated to extend legal protection to those who are attacked on private land. Before, the law only applied to public places.

“The main issue is that the dogs must be kept under proper control in all places and where it can be shown that whoever is in charge of the dogs is not controlling them sufficiently then it should be possible to charge them if and when they can be apprehended. I shall certainly raise this case with the police to find out what priority they are giving the matter.”

A police spokesperson said: “Regarding this particular case we can’t elaborate at this moment in time. However we take all dog attacks very seriously and this investigation is ongoing.”