Appeal after family cat shot in Norwich
Hunter sadly had to be put to sleep.
Hunter went missing from his home in Fairfax Road on Saturday March 30 and his owner put out an appeal to find him and desperately searched the local area.
He was found that next Wednesday (3 April) hiding in a shed at a home on the same road - and the member of the public who found him called the local vets who collected him.
His owner was traced using his microchip and they rushed straight to the vets - but sadly x-rays revealed Hunter had been shot in his spine and heartbreakingly, due to the extent of his injuries, his owner had to make the devastating decision to have him put to sleep, as nothing more could be done to help him.
His owner has been left shocked and devastated by what has happened to Hunter, who was just one and a half years old. Hunter had lived with his owners since he was just four months old.
The owner has also been left with a large vet bill as a result of someone targeting her cat.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer David Allen said: “It is devastating to hear what happened to poor Hunter and our hearts go out to his owner. Why someone would seemingly target an innocent animal like this is unfathomable - it is just cruel and so unnecessary.
It leaves a family heartbroken and I am horrified by what has happened to poor Hunter."
“We know we are not alone in thinking that any deliberate attack on an animal in this way is appalling, but sadly these types of incidents are not uncommon. We receive hundreds of calls to investigate air gun shootings every year and sadly cats and wildlife are usually the animals most often affected.
“We should all want to see a world where animals are treated with kindness and respect. But while it's still too easy for people to get their hands on an airgun, without the necessary basic safety training, or an understanding of the impact these weapons pose, then animals remain at risk.
“That's why the RSPCA wants to see stricter regulations - including better education, training for owners, and a thorough explanation of the law - which could help protect countless animals from such attacks in the future.”