United Kingdom: Beloved family cat put down after being shot at with air rifle

UNITED KINGDOM -- The devastated owner of a cat which died after being shot with an air rifle has hit out at the callous people who attacked her pet.

Five-year-old Ruby was found dumped in a bush in the Ryde Lands area of Cranleigh on Tuesday night (March 22).

Kara Salvador, 33, said a neighbor knocked on her door at around 7.30pm asking if she knew anyone who owned a black and white cat.

She said she did and the neighbour said he had seen a Transit van with three people in it.

“He saw them get out of the van and one of them picked up Ruby and threw her in a bush,” Mrs Salvador said.

“When we found Ruby we thought she had been run over," she added.

"It wasn’t until we got to the vet and they took her for an X-ray that we realised she had a bullet in her spine from an air rifle.

“We had no choice but to put her down that evening. I then had to explain to my son in the morning what had happened, which was tough.”

Mrs Salvador reported the incident to the police and RSPCA, passing on the registration number of the silver Transit van seen in the area.

Speaking of the people who attacked her cat, she said: “They just treat it as a cat but to us she was a member of the family. I have got four children and my eldest is devastated.

"I‘m so angry and hurt, how can people do that to an animal? They have upset our children, especially our eight-year-old. They need to be found and get done [by the authorities].”

The cat owner said she had heard of other similar incidents happening recently in Cranleigh and Guildford.

In one incident in Bellfields, a cat was reported to have lost an eye.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "We have had two reports from members of the public of cats being shot in Surrey - one in Guildford and one in Cranleigh.

"Sadly, we have also been made aware of a third incident.  Investigations are currently ongoing and we're working alongside Surrey Police, who are leading the enquiries.

"Anyone with any information on these incidents should call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018, or contact police.

"We would like to remind people that anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face a maximum six-month prison sentence and/or a fine of £20,000, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006."

(Get Surrey UK - March 25, 2016)