Fairfield woman angered after cat shot

A Dunedin cat came within a whisker of death after being shot this week, and her owner seeks swift justice for the shooter.

Fairfield woman Bonnie Smith said 8-month old Izzy was roaming on Wednesday afternoon between 3pm and 5pm, not far from her Bremner St home. When the young tabby returned home, Ms Smith realised she was injured, but she was unaware of the wound’s sinister origin until she took Izzy to the Green Island Veterinary Clinic the following day.

X-rays revealed a small pellet lodged in Izzy’s upper foreleg, millimetres from severing a vital artery near the right humerus, her vet said.

Surgery yesterday successfully removed the pellet, which appeared to be of a small calibre. Ms Smith said it would be a long and uncertain road to recovery for her  "beautiful wee girl".

"She’ll be in a crate for six to eight weeks.

"If it doesn’t heal she’ll have to have it amputated."

The shooting came at a bad time for the heavily pregnant Ms Smith, whose baby is  due in seven weeks.

She was appealing for information from the public and angrily warned the shooter  "best go into hiding". 

Ms Smith had no idea who  shot Izzy, but worried that if it was "kids with an air rifle" they  could progress to even worse crimes.

"You know what they say about kids who shoot animals."

She delivered the pellet and laid a complaint at Green Island Police Station yesterday. Izzy was safely ensconced at Ms Smith’s home last night.

• Dunedin police (03)471-4800, Crimestoppers 0800-555-111.