Cat shot for second time with pellet gun (From York Press)
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Don the cat shot for second time with pellet gun in Huntington
8:51am Friday 8th March 2013 in News
By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk
Trevor Souter with his cat, Don, which has been shot for a second time
A PET owner is warning residents in a York suburb to be on their guard after his cat was shot twice with a pellet gun.
Retired railway worker Trev Suter, 57, of Orchard Gardens, in Huntington, said his four-year-old tabby, Don, had been targeted twice in the past two years.
The latest incident left the pet needing major surgery to remove an inch-long pellet from his spine.
Mr Suter said: “Obviously it’s very distressing what has happened to Don, but it could have been me walking to the corner shop for my newspaper and loaf of bread who was hit, or, if it hit a child, this could have blinded them.
“It’s very dangerous and whoever is doing it is a crack shot.
“Don is usually such a placid cat and I knew something was wrong because he’d been unusually tetchy and when I felt along his spine I could tell there was something there.”
Mr Suter said he is on great terms with his neighbours and he is unable to think of any reason why anyone would want to target his cat.
He said: “I think the world of my neighbours and I would think people think of me as a good neighbour, I’ll do anything for anyone and most of my neighbours don’t mind the cat.”
Mr Suter said, last time his cat was shot in the same part of its body, but this time it has done more damage, and has cost £285 in vet’s fees. He hopes his pet will make a full recovery and has reported the matter to the police and RSPCA.
The shooting follows incidents last year, reported by The Press at the time, of birds being shot in and around Orchard Close.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “This an appalling act of cruelty against a defenceless animal which most people will find difficult to comprehend.
“Anyone with any information about the people responsible for shooting Don should contact the police without delay.
“Irresponsible owners of air weapons or replica weapons should bear in mind that if the police are called to reports of a weapon being seen in public, they will be confronted by police officers with real guns.
“Officers treat all such reports as though they involve real weapons until they are satisfied they do not. The consequences of this could be extremely serious.”
Comments(21)
akuma
says...
10:08am Fri 8 Mar 13
Safe to say the culprit isn't going to turn themselves in, but hopefully a parent, neighbour or friends that has even the slightest bit of respect for animals will do the right thing.
The fact your child/friend owns an air rifle is a good place to start.
Oncebitten
says...
10:21am Fri 8 Mar 13
TT wrote:I don't understand your comments, please elaborate!
It's about time cat owners were responsible for their pets. I love all animals, even the fish in my pond that the cats drag out to play with. And leave dead in the garden. Sorry your pet was shot though I don't agree with anyone intentionally hurting any animal.
bob the builder
says...
11:38am Fri 8 Mar 13
Oncebitten wrote:.. it's a roundabout way of claiming that cats are destructive - put into context with the human race that has caused the extinction of countless life forms, it is meaningless.
TT wrote:I don't understand your comments, please elaborate!
It's about time cat owners were responsible for their pets. I love all animals, even the fish in my pond that the cats drag out to play with. And leave dead in the garden. Sorry your pet was shot though I don't agree with anyone intentionally hurting any animal.
Jiffy
says...
12:12pm Fri 8 Mar 13
bob the builder wrote:Well said Bob
Oncebitten wrote:.. it's a roundabout way of claiming that cats are destructive - put into context with the human race that has caused the extinction of countless life forms, it is meaningless.TT wrote: It's about time cat owners were responsible for their pets. I love all animals, even the fish in my pond that the cats drag out to play with. And leave dead in the garden. Sorry your pet was shot though I don't agree with anyone intentionally hurting any animal.I don't understand your comments, please elaborate!
again
says...
1:16pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Jiffy wrote:Seconded.
bob the builder wrote:Well said Bob
Oncebitten wrote:.. it's a roundabout way of claiming that cats are destructive - put into context with the human race that has caused the extinction of countless life forms, it is meaningless.TT wrote: It's about time cat owners were responsible for their pets. I love all animals, even the fish in my pond that the cats drag out to play with. And leave dead in the garden. Sorry your pet was shot though I don't agree with anyone intentionally hurting any animal.I don't understand your comments, please elaborate!
Stroppiness
says...
2:24pm Fri 8 Mar 13
again wrote:Thirded.
Jiffy wrote:Seconded.bob the builder wrote:Well said BobOncebitten wrote:.. it's a roundabout way of claiming that cats are destructive - put into context with the human race that has caused the extinction of countless life forms, it is meaningless.TT wrote: It's about time cat owners were responsible for their pets. I love all animals, even the fish in my pond that the cats drag out to play with. And leave dead in the garden. Sorry your pet was shot though I don't agree with anyone intentionally hurting any animal.I don't understand your comments, please elaborate!
In addition, I would like to have a bit of target practice on the culprit - not enough to kill him or her, but enough to cause intense agony and scare the sh1te of of him/her. Maybe then they will consider their actions.
As an aside, these stories are often reported as "small" issues. Ii is a fact that a very large proportion of murderers and serial killers start life off by displaying animal cruelty, before moving on to people. He or she needs to be caught and dealt with.
Podlet
says...
2:26pm Fri 8 Mar 13
What? If they're a crack shot, they'll hit their target, right? So no danger except to the target.
And if their target was the cat, how come it's still alive?
'Not a crack shot' would be a better description.
BTW, get rid of the food source and the scavenger will go elsewhere. Bit like urban foxes really.
turkey kid
says...
2:29pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Pizzamen
says...
3:13pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Not a nice thing to happen but at least he was ok and not fried in a pan.
Torkie
says...
4:25pm Fri 8 Mar 13
expubcrawler
says...
6:13pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Cats are lovely animals and make lovely pets but they are predators by nature.
May I suggest that fish owners cover their ponds with some fine mesh netting. Not only to stop cats getting the fish but to deter other predators too.
I know the owner of Don the cat and he is a lovely fellow who loves his pet. Anyone who does harm (or wishes harm) to any animal needs locking up.
Let's hope they catch the real vermin who is shooting at defensless animals and stick his gun up where the sun don't shine.
Kathy 2010
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6:26pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Fourkov
says...
7:58pm Fri 8 Mar 13
TERRIER3
says...
8:07pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Digeorge
says...
8:25pm Fri 8 Mar 13
We had actually heard the shot thinking it was shooting at rabbits in the cemetery but it wasn't, he not only shot the cat but also brutally kicked it repeatedly.
We managed to catch the culprit (our next door neighbour) who had admitted taking a pop at it. He was fined over £500 and also has now a criminal record albeit spent.
You have my sympathies there, so I hope that it isn't the same person and actually needs to be caught.
TERRIER3
says...
8:34pm Fri 8 Mar 13
twotonethomas
says...
8:43pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Magicman!
says...
3:53am Sat 9 Mar 13
I have a pond stocked with fish in my garden, but no cat has ever succeed in getting any of the fish for one simple reason: the fish are in water! Essentially the fish are teasting the two cats that come round and "window shop" every night, as the fish are right in the middle of the pond out of the cats' reach... and I can wath the cats trying to work out if there's a way to the middle or how to get the fish, before realising that to get the fish would mean a dunk in the pond which is something they simply won't do!
Ronald Crumble
says...
1:47pm Sun 10 Mar 13
Kathy 2010 wrote:but its fine for cats to kill birds in my garden ...in summer dig all my bulbs up ..leave cat crap about
Thank you expubcrawler. It is encouraging to read a nice comment after some of the earlier ones. Cats are wonderful creatures. Unfortunately it is in their natures to hunt but it doesn't mean that they should be treated badly by people, who should know better. The human race makes me despair at times.
Ronald Crumble
says...
1:51pm Sun 10 Mar 13
TERRIER3 wrote:makes no sense ... :/ learn to write a proper sentence
anyone who causes harm to a defenceless animal is scum, this person is obviously a ars***e, who as a s***e life so takes it out on something that cant fight back, and thinks its funny, the sad cretin doesnt realise that everyone thinks hes a t****r
TT says...
9:45am Fri 8 Mar 13