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Shot cat fighting for life
Reporter: DAWN MARSDEN
Date online: 08 July 2010
Owner furious over attack on her pet
A young cat is fighting for its life after being shot by callous thugs in Clarksfield.
Tracey Schofield, who adopted one-year-old Spartan last year following the death of her husband, found the tomcat collapsed on her bed.
The 45-year-old, who lives in Glaisdale, rushed it to County’s End Vets in Lees where she was told Spartan stood only a minimal chance of survival.
It underwent major surgery to remove pellets from its large and small intestines and will now have to stay at the vets until it can feed itself.
Tracey, who has two other cats, said: “He didn’t seem himself when he came in on Friday night and he just went straight to bed. When I came home from work on Saturday he was totally collapsed. I thought he had been fighting so it was a massive shock when the vet said he had been shot.
“I have insurance for him but I am not sure if it will cover all his treatment. I don’t know what the vet’s costs will be yet but I think I’m looking at over £1,000.
“He seems to be recovering quite well but they won’t know for sure until he starts eating solids. The pellets ruptured his bowel which could lead to a fatal infection.
“I am absolutely fuming and can’t believe someone would want to hurt a harmless animal like this. He is a huge part of the family and stopped me being lonely when my husband Graham died.
“He was just playing outside minding his own business and that happened to him. He is such a lovely cat and I would be lost without him.”
Comments
I hope your proud of yourself whoever did this, what a hero,,, idiot.
This is the reason I commented on the remark that an air gun was a replica fire arm. Some time ago I had a similar situation with my cat being shot with an air gun peircing one lung. Greater controls should be in force with Air Guns, gone are the days when it was enough to fire at a paper target, these things are lethal in the hands of Neanderthal Man
It's more than time that airguns ought to be licensed. There need not be the same depth of investigation of the applicant that is needed for a firearms licence, but there needs to be an age restriction and a requirement to record any onward sale of the weapon. It isn't only animals who are targeted by these despicable people and the Government needs to get a grip on this long standing problem.
Minerva, You are so right about Air Guns and Rifles, they should be licensed. That would be a start, secondly, every time a persons buys pellets(slugs) for these weapons, they should have to register that they have purchased them. Unfortunately, it will not stop stupid witless beings owning them. If these lunatic, want to play shooting at moving targets, why don't they join Her Majesty's Forces!
Sorry, I forgot they are cowards also,and someone shooting at them wouldn't be Cricket.
Words fail me in this sickening attack against a harmless animal. I just hope when the thug is caught the Chronicle will name,shame and put his picture on the front page so that everyone can see who he is!!!! And the police charge him for having a firearm,better still jail the little darling.........
Black le; Minerva: Airrifles are as dangerous as the spade in your shed. whilst if it not in the hands of "idiots - comment 34866)They are perfectly safe. It is the person(s) who pick them up and use them.
They have not been taught to how to use them, when to use them and why they need to be used. There again these same person(s) who use the rifles in such away, have not had any discipline instilled in them by there parents!
There again society prevents them been disciplined in any way!
When will people learn to keep their cats in? i am the owner of 4 cats 1 is 14 & 2 are 13 & the other one is 8, they all live indoors where they are nice & safe & live a long & happy healthy life, where no dogs or cars or people can kill them unfortunately some people can't think for themselves & just throw them out because other people tell them that is what you do, if you love your pet then keep ut indoors where its nice & safe, as for the scum bag who did this i hope the same happens to them.
Wazzarsa: You have just repeated my point, when I was young air guns were used fire at paper targets, yes as safe as the spade in the shed, but now we need greater control of these weapons (because that is what they are) and keep them out of the hands of mindless idiots. One point is though I have never heard of anybody being injured by a garden spade from the other end of a garden, they are not as accurate as an air gun.
Black le: Yes I did repeat some of what you had typed. And yes I have picked up more people who had died of injuries from common garden tools! A spade, a pick axe, an axe, a kitchen knife ..the list can go on.
The Air Rifle is not dangerous - just the idiot who handels it!
There again they are products of our great society! No Parental Control, no Discipline in Schools or at the home.. Justice System failing.. heavier sentence for minor offence and less of serious!
Have Your Say
Not far from the place where one young idiot thought it would be a laugh to shoot at armed police officers. It makes one wonder if the young men of the area have had what little brains they had, removed.
By Flake @ 08/07/2010 12:46:47