Owner's anger over cat death

1:06pm Thursday 5th April 2007

A WOMAN has accused Southern Electric of being insensitive and heartless after her cat was electrocuted at one of the company's substations.

The 33-year-old resident of Blenheim Park, Bowerhill, Melksham, who asked to remain anonymous, blames the company for her cat's death, claiming the substation was not secure.

Five-year-old Dixon was killed after he wandered into the substation through a broken door.

Southern Electric has admitted the door to the substation was unlocked but insisted there was no evidence to suggest the cat had been electrocuted, as the cause of death was never determined by a vet.

Representatives from Southern Electric visited Dixon's owner after the incident and offered to buy her a new cat from the RSPCA and pay for its healthcare for a year.

But the woman was upset by the suggestion that her cat could be replaced so easily. "I was insulted by their offer and it made me even angrier," she said.

Southern Electric said the offer was purely a goodwill gesture and it will still stand if she decides to get a new pet in the future.

Sharon Miller-McKenzie from Southern Electric said: "We are extremely sympathetic to the owner's feelings and feel that all the appropriate measures have been taken to ensure our equipment remains secure."

The company plans to build a six-foot fence around the substation next week.