It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
And that is what Timaru resident Amanda Tulley is worried about, as her muchloved moggy has been shot on two separate occasions.
Mrs Tulley lives within 500m of the town boundary, opposite the Gleniti golf course and a very busy walkway.
She said last November her 3-year-old cat Walter dragged himself home after he had been shot by a slug gun at close range.
The pellet had gone down Walter’s leg, shattering his bones, leaving the family with the heart-breaking decision of amputating his leg.
On April 20 — some time between 11am and 1.30pm — three-legged Walter was shot for a second time.
The pellet had entered just above his shoulder, and had travelled to the other side of his body.
It had to be surgically removed. Fur had been forced through his body by the force of the pellet, which could have caused infection if left untreated.
The second attempt had been close to hitting his remaining front leg which would have forced her to have Walter euthanised.
The vet had also found a third pellet lodged inside his chest.
They were unsure when he had been hit by that pellet.
She said the experience had been very traumatic for the family.
Mrs Tulley said it had been a sunny day, children had been cycling past and golfers had been out playing.
She was horrified by how dangerous it was for someone to be firing a gun with so many people out and about.
‘‘I understand some people don’t like animals coming into their garden, but put the hose on him or throw a clod at him.
‘‘It could have taken someone’s eye out.’’ Walter’s vet also had some concerns about the nature of the injuries.
‘‘They said it’s inhumane, because he’s been injured and not killed.’’
She said if it were any other animal, it might have taken a few weeks to die of infection.
‘‘You can see he’s not a feral, that he’s well loved.
‘‘We’ve lived here 15 years and never had a problem.
‘‘I’ve spoken to my immediate neighbours and they’re all keeping their eyes out.’’
Before being shot, Walter had been a keen hunter.
Mrs Tulley said between him and his sister Tinx they would catch three mice a day.
There had been bigger hauls, too, of large rats and one dead stoat he had dragged into the house.
‘‘But that was back when he had four legs.’’
Walter’s humans had been incredibly grateful for Aorangi Vets in Highfield and the emergency vet Vetlife Timaru for their hard work through the ordeal. She said the matter was now in police hands.
‘‘Police are going around to speak to all of the neighbours.’’
