Animal charity pays tribute to 'brave' owners of cat after its body was found mutilated in Northampton

South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) founder Tony Jenkins worked with the victims of the Kingsley attacks and was given permission to take the bodies away for postmortem examination.

Last month, the Chronicle & Echo put together a special report regarding the appearance of at least four other mutilated cat corpses found in the town, and this month the another feline has been found dead on our streets.

London based organisation South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL), which has been investigating a spree of attacks on family pets since the so-called Croydon Cat Killer emerged in 2014, has confirmed that the cats death is being ruled into the Operation Takahe series.

On Facebook the charity has said: "We would like to thank Northampton Police for an absolutely perfect response. Not only did they respond quickly but liaised with us throughout, which allowed us to warn them that one of the locations had been released on social media. Despite being busy, they dispatched a second unit to secure that scene immediately. They also provided quick forensic support.

"We would also like to pay tribute to the owners who woke up this morning (Sunday, November 19) to something truly horrific and have been brave enough to let us bring the body back down for forensic examination.

"We would urge members of the public to please call us first before posting on social media. We need to ensure that evidence is collected and scenes are not compromised and it makes all of our jobs much more difficult when it goes out on social media before we're even aware of it. Thanks to the local page who took the post down, it's appreciated more than you know.

"Rest in peace little one xx."

This killing comes after horrific mutilated bodies of two other family pets were left in a black bin liner in Bants Lane, Duston back in October and a little more than a month after two feline bodies were discovered in the Kingsley area, mutilated in much the same way.

In September, the owners of 15-year-old Topsy found the mutilated animal outside their front door on Brookfield Road. Days before that a teenage girl had found another cat, Rusty, dumped in a plastic bag on her doorstep with its ears, head and limbs cut off.

SNARL has asked for anyone with information to call police on 101 and quote "Operation Takahe" (pronounced Takkahay). Alternatively, you can call SNARL on 07961 030064 or 07957 830490 who will submit an anonymous statement to police.