'This is not an isolated incident!' Second cat shot with air weapon in Gobowen
A second cat has been put to sleep after she returned home to her owners with an injury from an air weapon.
Coco is the second cat to be shot in the village of Gobowen, near to Oswestry, in just over a month.
She sustained the injury to her eye while out in the Hammonds Place/Court areas of the village on Sunday, February 5.
Due to the severity of the injury, Coco had to be put down.
Now, police have issued an appeal for information from members of the public.
PCSO David Hughes for Oswestry Rural North SNT said: "This is not an isolated incident.
"We are keen to speak to anyone who has information and help us identify those who cause harm to our communities."
It comes after one-year-old cat, Bella, suffered internal injuries after being shot with an air rifle the Hammonds Place/Ferndale Crescent area of Gobowen on Monday, January 2.
Bella's owners took her to the vets, but despite surgery, she was unable to be saved.
Commenting on the incident on Sunday, an RSPCA spokesperson said: “We’re extremely saddened to hear about Coco and our thoughts are with the owners at this very difficult and upsetting time for them.
“We would urge anyone with first-hand information to contact the police.
“Cats and wildlife are often the target of air rifle attacks, simply because they are out in the open with no one to protect them.
"The injuries caused by such attacks are horrific and often fatal. These attacks are often deliberate by people who just don’t care about hurting animals or are deliberately targeting animals to keep them away from gardens.
“We continue to call for stricter regulations around owning an airgun in both England and Wales. Better education, basic safety training for owners and a thorough explanation of the law - including our legal obligations towards animals - could help protect countless animals from these horrible attacks in the future."
