VIDEO: Owner of cat shot by air gun backs crackdown
A campaign's being launched to raise awareness about the new licence being introduced at the end of the year
Air gun owners seeking to avoid the new licence fee - or a fine and possibly imprisonment for an unlicensed gun - can surrender their weapon to the police next week.
Police Scotland is running a surrender campaign at 72 stations from May 23 to June 12 ahead of the launch of the new air weapons certificate application form on July 1.
All owners will require a licence by December 31.
The cost has yet to be decided by ministers but the British Association of Shooting and Conservation has said it expects it to be less than the £79.50 shotgun licence.
There were 182 air weapon offences in 2013-14, the equivalent of one every other day, according to the Scottish Government.
Fizz, a black and white female cat, was shot by an air gun in Renfrew 2 years ago.
Clyde News' Chief Reporter Linda Sinclair has a video report about the pet's ordeal which you can watch above.