Cat survives being shot in chest with air rifle at close range
A CAT owner said it was a "miracle" her pet was not killed after being shot in the chest at close range with an air rifle.
Tracy Speirs found Merlin struggling to breathe when he came home last Friday.
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Tracey Speirs, of Hilton, with her cat Merlin, which was recently shot at close range with an air rifle.
She rushed the three-year-old to a city centre vet, who X-rayed the cat and found a tiny air rifle pellet lodged in its chest, close to its lungs.
Merlin had to be kept in for four nights while vets decided whether or not to remove the pellet.
An operation to take it out might go ahead next week.
Tracy, of Soar Close, Hilton, said she was overjoyed that her pet was now recovering at home.
The 40-year-old said: "I noticed that he was breathing strangely so I asked my friend to come and take a look at him.
"I then took him to the vets and they first thought he had been hit by a car, but then they noticed the wound on his side that looked like an air rifle shot.
"I was so shocked when they told me – my friend had to speak to the vets because I was just in absolute floods of tears. It was awful."
Mother-of-two Tracy said the vet had told her Merlin's wound was similar to that caused by an air rifle being fired at close range.
She has now reported the attack to Derbyshire police and said she believed it had taken place between 7pm and 9pm on Friday night.
Merlin, whose fur is completely black, has been allowed to go back to the family home and the pellet will only be removed if vets think it is safe to do so.
Tracy said she was told that, despite the pellet being fired at close range, it had missed all of Merlin's vital organs and had not caused permanent damage.
She said: "He was very lucky that the pellet didn't do any more damage. He could easily have been killed – it's a miracle he survived."
Tracy is offering a £50 reward to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to a conviction relating to the incident.
She said: "I want cat owners and the owners of other animals to be on their guard and be vigilant so we can stop anything like this happening again.
"You can't put a price on the life of an animal and I'm just so relieved he is back with the family and on the mend."
A Derbyshire police spokesman said officers were making inquiries in the Hilton area. Anyone with information should contact police on 0345 123 3333.
33 Comments
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by burtonftw, derby
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:46PM
“daft anologies all round tbh.”
by flyingtheflag, Derby
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:49PM
“Shooting kids? That statement is not and can never be correct - regardless of the subject being debated.
Yes it's unfortunate and despicable but is there a need for the bile being spat out by various people on this subject? The thugs who did this will hopefully be caught and suitably punished for what they have done, but to value an animals life over a humans is in my eyes crazy! Don't focus on the bad, focus on the good, after all did a cat build the house you live in or the car you drive?”
by New Dragon, Derby
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:16AM
“David, Derby
I thought you claimed not to be offensive?
Obviously you need to look up the word HYPOCRISY - you certainly display it.
Do you actually know the meaning of the insults you throw about? Or do you simply write it because youthink it makes you appear "clever"?”
by David, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 11:56PM
“New Dragon, In that case, I bow down to your greater knowledge on the subject. It's a pity that your vast knowledge and experience has not prevented you from becoming a very nasty, offensive person.
Pat, I have no liking for 'scum bag chavs' and never said I did. All I did was think that it is wrong to shoot children for making a noise in the street. If you disagree with me, so be it.
In actual fact, I think this discussion has shown that New Dragon is the most chav like person here. The abuse he or she has come out with is ridiculous. So much for a reasoned debate!”
by Pat, h
Thursday, September 02 2010, 11:40PM
“Dave
I'd be interested to see how you would feel about these scum bag chavs if they were stealing or damaging your property and when you tried to stop them they beat the crap out of you, or beat you up or stabbed you because they thought you looked at them funny. Yes cats can be a nuisance sometimes, but nothing like the foul mouthed, work shy, filth that is a chav.”
by New Dragon, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 11:28PM
“And what qualifies you over them?
David, Derby
The fact that I was a founder member of the Canine Studies Institute and a recognised expert witness on canine behaviour, AND have studied the behaviour of all domesticated anumals for 30 years including of course the domestic cat.
_____________________________
Are you saying that cats do NOT fight over territory and only ever fight over a female cat?
David, Derby
Oh dear, you really dont understand the modifications of behaviour and natural selection do you?
Cats have had to adapt to sharing their territories - otherwise they simply would not survive in domestication. They have learnt to share ther territories & even their homes with other cats, dogs, and of course humans.
If they hadnt their would be lumps of cat on every street corner.
It really saddens me to see how closed the minds of people like you are when you get hold of some ludicrous idea and lack the intelligence to actually observe for yourself and interpret the facinating behaviour of animals that could certainly teach the average shaved chimp a lot.”
by esc, derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:55PM
“my cats dont fight with anything... they dont kill other animals infact they just ly there in the garden while the birds come for their seed. their sooooo laid back are my cats, infact i bet theres afew like that out there an yet they still get bad press from morons!
dave, you said cats are chavs in the animal world...their animals, whats humans got as an excuse when they fight, foul places, fight anything that moves???
you mentions that 2 male cats were fighting an 1 came back hurt. poor cats BUT thats it..their cats. alot different to when an human hurts a cat on purpose. thats just so wrong.”
by David, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:38PM
“And what qualifies you over them?
Are you saying that cats do NOT fight over territory and only ever fight over a female cat?
Surely if cats are so hemmed in as you say, they would fight more, not less?”
by New Dragon, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:06PM
“I'm no expert on cats but a quick Google search gives many sites which say that cats fight over territory. Ah well, they must all be dumbos too... David, Derby
.
No there's only one dumbo here - and thats YOU.
I dont know what rubbish site you found, but whoever wrote it was not on about the domestic cat. In modern cities there is insufficient room for any cat to establish an exclusive teritory, given that a cat's home range can be up to 12 miles from his home.
You really should try lisening to those who know, rather than relyng on googling any old rubbish.”
by Mackworth Old Skool, derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 9:33PM
“Where's my comment gone ya fascists?”