One dog ran off, and she managed to free her cat from the other’s jaws and brought him inside.

“Fortunately, my grandchildren were still asleep. I didn’t want to look too closely at his injuries, so I wrapped him up in a blanket and cuddled him on the couch for about three hours.

“I decided before I buried Shim that my grandchildren needed the chance to say goodbye, and I explained to them how he had died.”

She said Shim was a stray seen sleeping at a neighbouring property two years ago. It took six months to catch him.

“When I first took him to a vet, some of his matted fur had to be shaved off, and he was also treated for a pussy infected ear. He was quite skittish and wouldn’t even allow me to pat him.”

She said initially Shim did not like being inside the house and slept outside.

However, over time, he became a much-loved family member and losing him was devastating.

“Shim was beautiful. He had just begun to enjoy life and become more comfortable being inside, and was settling into our family quite nicely. ”

The woman said she reported the attack to the Tauranga City Council on July 25 after reading social media comments about roaming dogs in the Topaz Drive area and the first cat killing.

The woman said she could not say with certainty the breed of the dogs that killed Shim.

“I feel very upset and sad that Shim died this way, but I don’t blame the dogs. It’s their damned owners’ fault for not taking proper care of them and allowing them to roam.”

She said she owned four dogs and believed the attack dogs deserved another chance.

“Give me these dogs. I’ll ensure they’re properly cared for and trained to be better behaved.”

However, she said she shared neighbours’ concerns that the dogs that killed Shim could pose a risk the longer they remained at large. Young children regularly used a nearby park.

“I’m worried that it could be a child who is injured or killed next time.”

Topaz Drive resident Vanessa Judd earlier told how her cat, Mac, was “ripped apart” in a “horrible and shocking” suspected dog attack.

Judd was “devastated” on learning Mac – her 8-year-old ragdoll-Persian cross – was found fatally mauled on July 19.

Mac was found in Ruby Place, near Topaz Drive.

Residents in the area have reported seeing two dogs roading in the area.

Another Topaz Drive resident said that two dogs captured on security camera footage had visited his property several times in the past fortnight.

The man, who has children and owns a cat, said the dogs had targeted his recycling bins twice and had dug under his gate.

The resident said he believed the dogs would attack again if not found.

Tauranga City Council animal services team leader Oscar Glossop said the council had received seven complaints relating to dogs in the Topaz Drive and Ruby Place area in the past month.

Two of the four Topaz Drive complaints were received in the past week, he said.

Animal Services officers were investigating and encouraged anyone with information to contact the council.

“It is not appropriate to speculate on whether particular dogs may be involved until sufficient evidence has been gathered and assessed.”

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.