Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood on edge after dogs brutally attack beloved cat
Neighbors are reeling after a pack of aggressive dogs launched a brutal attack on a beloved neighborhood cat Monday night in Northeast Philadelphia.
The violent event was captured on video by Tara Gnoza, whose home security cameras recorded the heart-wrenching scene.
In the video, the pack of dogs can be seen attacking and killing the neighborhood cat near the intersection of Carver and Ditman streets in Wissinoming.
Gnoza, who lives next door, described the shocking moment when she first noticed the dogs.
"On Monday, around 6:30 p.m., my cameras caught it, but it was so fast that I didn't get a clear view of the dogs or people involved," she said. "When the mailman came around 6:45 p.m., he saw the cat, its torso ripped open. I was completely distraught."
After calling the police at around 7 p.m., Gnoza waited through the night, hoping for a response, but no help came.
"I cried all night, just trying to process what I had seen. I couldn't sleep until 7 a.m.," she said. "The cat was a friend to many of us here, and it was so upsetting to know it suffered like that."
The shock of the incident is deepened by a growing sense of fear in the neighborhood.
Neighbors are worried that the aggressive dogs, could pose a threat to other animals — or even people.
"The dogs have been spotted on porches and near homes across the street," Gnoza said. "It's terrifying to think about what could happen next, especially with kids and pets in the area."
Despite the increasing reports of the pack's violent behavior, Gnoza is frustrated by what she sees as a lack of immediate action.
"I was surprised to see that no one was actively searching for these dogs," she said. "One person commented on a local Facebook group saying they had called Animal Care and Control (ACCT) about these dogs weeks ago. But nothing was done in time to prevent this tragedy."
"It shouldn't be like that. If people have dogs, keep them on a leash," said Efran Ortiz, who lives down the street from the attack.
ACCT has intensified its presence in the neighborhood, patrolling the area in search of the dogs and the individuals responsible for their care and urging people to stay alert and report any further sightings.
