VETS have issued a warning to pet owners after having to euthanise a cat that was left paralysed after being shot by an air rifle.
Two-year-old Skye was shot while standing on a wall in her garden in Southport, Merseyside last week.
Skye’s owner quickly rushed her beloved pet to Rufford Veterinary Practice in Lancashire after releasing she was unable to move properly.
Vets said that an X-ray of Skye “sent a shockwave of anger throughout the practice.”
They discovered that a small bullet had been fired at Skye and had severed her spinal cord in the process, paralysing her from the waist down.
The team made the decision to euthanise the targeted animal, leaving the family devastated.
Rufford Veterinary Practice shared images of the x-ray onto their Facebook page yesterday, showing the bullet inside the spine of Skye.
The metal projectile can be seen embedded into her spine, rendering her back legs completely useless.
They also shared an image of the bullet after it was removed from Skye’s spine showing how the grey metal bullet had compressed at the top due to the impact.
The post read: “Her family are absolutely devastated and we are deeply saddened that someone would treat an animal this way.
“We wonder if the person who pulled the trigger thought about the life they would be destroying or the upset they would cause!
“We take animal cruelty extremely seriously and this will not be forgotten.
“This is now a police matter and we will be assisting anyway we possibly can.
“This happened around the Virginia street area in Southport, so we urge everyone to be super vigilant/cautious if you are a cat owner living near here.
“Our thoughts are with Skye’s family, they are dedicated cat owners who have owned cats their whole lives and to have experienced something like this is absolutely awful.”
Since the veterinary practice shared the horrific story yesterday [WED], hundreds of social media users have expressed their disgust at the incident.
Barbara Isherwood said: “Some truly evil people out there. No wonder I prefer animals.”
Jan Jones posted: “Someone knows who this piece of trash is.”
Julia Johnson commented: “So terribly sad, unbelievable that anyone could be so evil to a precious pet, they deserve to rot in hell.”
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police today said: “We are appealing for witnesses after a cat was shot with a pellet gun in Southport on Monday 15 March.
“At around 4.30pm, officers were called reporting to a report that a cat had been shot and injured in Virginia Street, an incident believed to have happened between 10am and 1.30pm. The cat was taken to a vet and was sadly put down.”
Southport Community Policing Inspector Graham Fisher said: “This was an appalling incident which has led to a pet losing its life, and a great deal of upset caused for the family.
“We’ll be visiting to offer reassurance and support but meantime, if you saw this incident or have seen anyone in the area firing such a weapon, contact us or send us any home CCTV, dashcam or ring footage, and we will do the rest.
“Not only has this cat been shot, the dangers of such reckless behaviour to any children playing nearby are also serious.
“Parents and carers who have given or suspect that young people have such weapons need to understand they are not toys and can cause devastation.
“I’d also encourage everyone to know where young people in their care are, especially during this time of continued restrictions.”
