Shotgun blasted cat in recovery
A family cat "peppered" with a shotgun should make a full recovery, vets say.
Jasper, a ginger cat, was fired at twice from different angles last Friday, leaving him with a fractured leg and wounds to his chest and back.
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Claire Deacon with Jasper
Bleeding and wailing with pain, Jasper crawled back to his owner who whisked him off to a veterinary surgery.
He was operated on over the weekend and sent to recuperate at home in Barrowfield Road, Whiteshill, Stroud.
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“My children are devastated,” said owner Claire Deacon, 46.
“He is a member of our family. He is nearly three years old and we have always had cats. It was very distressing.”
He had been out on open land behind Barrowfield Road, and was found in Mrs Deacon’s garden at around 9.45pm on Friday.
“We heard wailing in the back garden and got him in,” she said.
“His feet and neck were bleeding. We thought he had been in a fight, a very bad fight, he is a big tom cat.
“It was not until the vet examined him that we knew he had been shot.
“They were very shocked at the vets, I don’t think they see something like this very often.
“It was not an air rifle, it was a shotgun.
“He is very lucky to be alive. I think he was shot at from a long way away, once to his front and once to his side. His internal organs were not hit.”
He was treated at Bowbridge Veterinary Group’s Stroud surgery.
Senior partner John Hunter, who has been treating animals since the 1960s, said shotgun attacks on cats are rare.
“He was peppered with it,” said Mr Hunter, who checked Jasper over before he went home, but did not treat him initially.
“It’s unheard of in a built-up area. There is no excuse for it, it’s just not on.
“It is a very unnecessary thing to do.”
He said Jasper is expected to make a full recovery.
Police in Stroud are appealing to residents for information on the incident.
Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact Gloucestershire police on 0845 090 1234 quoting incident number 204 of March 6.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
16 Comments
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by anon, stroud
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 8:46PM
“To all the idiots who thinks its ok to shoot or harm a cat because you either don't like them or because they mess in yor garden, it is actually a crime. Also they happen to be someones pet, how would you like if someone killed or destroyed something that you loved or cared about. Pretty upset and in a right paddy i shouldn't wonder. Birds also mess your garden from a great height as they pass over, tough really. thats life get over it, there are people in this life have real life tragadys to cope with. As for Jasper glad he's on the mend. Judging by the look on his face he is going to take full advantage of all the fuss coming his way”
by PABBBSSSSSSSSSS, glowster freedom fighter cat eradicator
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 6:34PM
“cat owners are the most selfish of all animal owners! get an animal and then make everyone else clean up its mess!”
by PABBBSSSSSSSSSS, glowster freedom fighter cat eradicator
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 6:28PM
“cat owners are the most selfish of all animal owners! get an animal and then make everyone else clean up its mess!”
by Top Cat, Glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 4:42PM
“Why, were you romantically spurned by one, Dog Lover?”
by Dog lover, Glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 4:26PM
“I'm Dog lover! So who ever wrote that second part needs to learn how to spell!!!
I do like all animals but just have issues with cats - lets just say we have a past!!”
by Jack, Gloucester
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:37PM
“I would like to reply to the person signed themselves Dog Lover. You are a sad person, cats use anyones garden, that is not a reason to say you would shoot them, you cannot really be a dog lover!!! I am a dog owner and love all animals. I think you should be ashamed to what you wrote....”
by animal lover, glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:31PM
“i am an animal lover, dog lover, so i love all animals, i love dogs cats and even seagulls. we all got our placein this world, shame we cant all get on. just remember we are most often on the animals territory, think about it, thy were here when we lived in caves. god bless jasper, hope he recovers soon”
by Dog lover, Glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:04PM
“Sorry - which part of this is news. Cat's are vermin, they always use my garden as a litter tray. If i had a gun i would shoot them as well!!”
by Brass Eye, Glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 1:27PM
“These people don't deserve punishment...they deserve gunishment!”
by Colonel Willowby-Gore St. Johns, Wotton Lawn
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 1:23PM
“Hopefully the bounder who did this feels ashamed of themselves, but I very much doubt it. Here's wishing Jasper a sppedy recovery, what? Chin, chin!”