A dog owner has denied his animal is responsible for cat attacks in Scapegoat Hill.
The man, who asked not to be named, defended his working dog, Jack, after its picture appeared in the Examiner.
“He’s 16-years-old, has only about three teeth in his head and is probably developing arthritis,” he said.
The dog, a collie- greyhound cross, is one of several dogs owned by the family.
It was walking on private land in Nettleton Hill Road and its owner said he was working nearby.
“It’s not a terrifying dog,” he said. “He’s a big softie.”
The Examiner has reported how two cats, including Orinoco owned by Lorraine Mir, had been savaged to death by dogs.
A description given by Mrs Mir was similar to Jack, photographed this week by a reader.
Residents in Scapegoat Hill say at least three cats have gone missing and owners are afraid to let their pets out.
Jack’s owner said: “It’s a fact of life that dogs chase cats but you can’t tar every dog with the same brush.
“I wouldn’t want my cat killed but this is being blown out of proportion.
“We have a serious problem with foxes round here and I think the cats that have gone missing will have been taken by foxes.”
The man said his dogs were well trained and were kept in locked kennels.
Kirklees Council’s dog warden service is investigating the cat attacks.
