SPCA’s Christchurch centre is urgently appealing to the public for information after two cats were shot with an air rifle on Ruakaka street in Hornby in the last 12 months. Both cats are loved pets from the same family and were lucky to survive their life-threatening injuries.

The most recent shooting took place on 19th of January when Pipsy was shot in the chest with an air rifle. Discovered by her owner, a vet nurse, Pipsy was vomiting blood and in a state of severe distress. She was disorientated and anxious, blue in colour, and howling in pain.

An x-ray revealed that there was an air rifle pellet sitting in her abdomen, with a small bullet entry round on the left side of her chest. Her stomach and small intestine had been perforated in multiple places, allowing faeces to spill out around the abdominal contents, and her diaphragm also had a puncture wound making it very difficult for Pipsy to breathe.

Emergency surgery was performed on Pipsy, whose condition thankfully began to improve. Three days later, Pipsy has so far recovered remarkably well from her horrific ordeal, but is not yet out of the woods. Despite ongoing medications (including antibiotics and pain relief) there are a large number of potential side-effects that will need to be monitored for very closely, not least the risk of severe internal infection.

Given the placement and angle of the pellet in Pipsy’s body, the veterinarian says it is very likely that she was shot intentionally and at close range.

Shooting an animal and causing it suffering in this way is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1999. SPCA is undertaking an animal welfare investigation and we urge anyone with information about the person/s responsible to come forward.

We also urge anyone who witnesses an air rifle shooting any animal to call Police immediately.

If you have any information regarding who may be shooting these animals, please call SPCA on 03 349 7057 and ask to speak with Inspector Cairns.

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