Tennessee: 'Grandpa' The Cat's vet bill adds up after he was allegedly shot point-blank by Zachary Brewer, 19, kicked and then thrown over a fence to die

Sept 2015 update to story: Injustice in Tennessee: POS Zachary Brewer, 19, will spent just 5 DAYS in county jail after shooting 'Grandpa the cat' in the head, kicking him, picking him up and then throwing him over a fence before running off and leaving him to die


TENNESSEE -- Grandpa the cat is making strides toward a full recovery, but he's not out of the woods yet.

The six-month-old black cat was shot in the back of the head on the morning of Dec. 10 with a pellet gun in the 300 block of Biddle Street.

The man who allegedly shot the cat, 19-year-old Zachary S. Brewer, was subsequently charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Brewer's first General Sessions Court appearance was on Friday.

The cat, named Grandpa by owners Anthony Hayes and Erin Freeman, was taken to the Greene County Veterinary Medical Center, where it remains after being stabilized.

MAY LOSE PAW
"Grandpa has full motor movement on the right side of his body, but none on the left side. If his front left paw doesn't strengthen and regain function with his back left leg, then they will have to amputate the left front paw," Freeman said this weekend in a email.

The vet bills will run into the hundreds of dollars for the cat, who will likely remain at the vet clinic for an extended period of time.

The owners didn't anticipate the act of violence against their pet and expressed concern about being able to pay vet bills for Grandpa's treatment.

Anyone who wants to help can send a check made out to the Greene County Veterinary Medical Center, 247 Baileyton Road, Greeneville TN 37745. Checks can specify "Grandpa Vet Bills."

Brewer is free on $3,000 bond. A General Sessions Court return date of Jan. 5 was set.

Brewer will be prosecuted on a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals, court officials said.

POLICE REPORT
A witness told Greeneville police that she saw Brewer "outside shooting the pellet rifle at a pizza box."

He then allegedly saw Brewer "walk over to the cat, place the barrel to the cat's head and pull the trigger," a report said.

The witness told police that Brewer then "kicked the cat, picked it up and threw it over the fence, and ran back into his house," the report said.

The pellet passed through the cat's skull without fracturing any bone and lodged in a neck muscle about an inch under its left ear, Hayes said last week. Grandpa immediately recognized his owners when they visited him at the vet clinic.

Freeman and Hayes don't know Brewer, who only recently moved into the neighborhood, several doors down from them.

"I really just hope he gets the help he needs. If he has no problem hurting a sweet little animal, he'll have no problem hurting a human being," Freeman said.

(Greeneville Sun - Dec 15, 2014)

Earlier:

• Man, 19, Who Allegedly Shot Cat Charged With Cruelty To Animals