United Kingdom: Do you know what happened to Milo from Somer Road in Dudley? He was recently shot with an air rifle

UNITED KINGDOM -- Milo, an 18-month-old black long-haired cat, returned to his home with the injuries on the evening of Sunday, 15 May.

His owner, Laurie Haywood, immediately took him to a vet, where she was told that his eye could not be saved.

Adorable Milo, before he was shot

Incredible distress
Laurie said: “Milo only recently started going outside three months ago and he didn’t venture far, a couple of streets away at most. On that Sunday evening, he came inside and he was in severe shock - I saw the injuries and it was horrific. He must have been in so much pain.

“Sadly, the vet said that his eye could not be saved and that it had to be removed. They did an x-ray to see if the pellet had gone into his brain, and thankfully it hasn’t. The vet thinks that the pellet has gone into his jaw.

“Milo is the same cat - he has come home and he is still Milo. But it could have been a very different story if the pellet had gone into his brain.”

Inspector Steve Morrall, who is investigating, said: “This is a shocking incident which has left a young cat with horrific injuries and in a lot of pain. It has been incredibly distressing not only for Milo but for his owners too.

Appeal for information
 “At the moment we know very little about when and why this has happened, and who shot the poor cat. We want to hear from anyone who may have heard or seen anything which might help us find out what happened. If you know anything, please contact us in complete confidence on 0300 123 8018.

“We would like to remind people that under the Animal Welfare Act, if someone is caught deliberately using an air weapon to injure an animal, they could face a £20,000 fine and up to six months in prison.”

(RSPCA UK - June 16, 2016)