In the interests of cats anywhere in England and Wales, airguns need to be far more strictly regulated. They are the cause of many injuries to outdoor cats. A survey in 2016 by Cats Protection found that 44% of veterinarians had treated cats who had been the victims of an air pellet fired by an airgun. Almost half of the shootings were fatal.
If the shooting is not fatal the cat can be severely injured. Cats can lose eyes, limbs and suffer life changing injuries. The people who shoot cats with airguns do it for entertainment. In my humble opinion, it is usually young men who take pleasure in shooting at outdoor domestic cats, probably belonging to their neighbour.
In 2017 it was reported that 164 cats had been shot with an airgun in the UK. I have mentioned England and Wales because the regulations in these two countries is slacker than in Northern Ireland Scotland. Most of these airgun attacks on cats occur in England and Wales. This clearly indicates that a tightening of regulations would greatly reduce this form of cat abuse.
Cats Protection have delivered a 100,000 signature petition to the Prime Minister’s office at 10 Downing Street calling for a change in the law on airgun ownership in England and Wales. Is part of a major campaign by the charity to bring airgun ownership in line with the regulations which exist currently in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Cats Protection have also written to the Home Office requesting airgun licensing.
We are told that 90% of reported airgun attacks on outdoor cats occur in England and Wales. Not infrequently we read about airgun attacks on cats in the news media. It’s one of two major forms of cat abuse in the UK. The other is antifreeze poisoning. I also believe antifreeze poisoning is done deliberately more often than not in the UK.
Let’s restrict the use of airguns in England and Wales to stop this animal cruelty.
I support cat confinement in excellent quality garden (yard) enclosures. I confine my cat. It is up to governments to insist on it.
https://pictures-of-cats.org/suburb-of-canberra-australia-is-a-cat-containment-area.html
You are a nasty shooter and cat hater. I am finding your rants tiresome. You need 2 valiums and a lie down. Just go away and don’t return. You are a detestable individual.
So, you think that by trying to control others that will stop cats from being shot to death, poisoned, or ran-over by cars.
It is precisely this kind of thinking that is causing just that.
You can’t control anyone else in the world. But what you can do is become responsible and respectable adults and keep your cats contained. That is the ONLY 100% sure method that protects your cats lives.
All that this article is doing is making sure more of your cats are shot. Is that what you wanted? I bet you did. Then you can continue on with your poor-pitiful-me self-victimization song & dance act to try to manipulate everyone around you. (Just for more attention in your dismal social-life and for more click-bait income.)
Do you see how well that works today? It’s not. MORE cats will be shot today just because OF YOU. You should be so proud of yourself.
I agree wholeheartedly Jane. Thanks for your comment as usual. I might convert it to an article in due course.
I don’t believe there is one valid reason for anyone to own a firearm of any sort or use it outside of the strictly supervised environment of a gun club/shooting range.
“BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VERMIN?” I hear most of the world cry
Well, there’s always the option of managing your yard properly, clearing away rubbish properly and of course keeping, feeding, worming several neutered and vaccinated FARMYARD FERAL PEST CONTROLLERS!!
100% organic too!
How about it UK farmers ? Your livestock will benefit by less exposure to the pathogens carried by these living beings you call vermin and also benefit from a more considered approach to yard hygiene.
Cats are far more efficient pest controllers than some angry landowner blasting away a split second after whatever species of “vermin” was in their ‘sight’
If a person of whatever age wants an airgun to shoot living beings for shits & giggles then the only answer is a total and enforced ban. If not a ban, then lets have some magistrates and judges at least sentence animal abusers to the maximum. If the law does not allow for a significant sentence, then the law could be examined and bigger sentences allowed.
Just restricting the sales of these firearms is so easily sidestepped. A child wanting one of these weapons can just get an older sibling or other adult to purchase it for them. Licences, the same easy side step and there you are, packing enough heat to mutilate, maim or kill an innocent animal.
A recent chat with a friend in the police force revealed that it’s not uncommon for licenced firearms to being on er, “loan” from the licence holder.
We have recent reports of schoolchildren, here in England planning firearm/explosive attacks on their school.
Any legislation surrounding airguns needs to treat their use as significant and serious from the get go. These weapons have for too long been though of ad “not like a real, proper gun” (heard that one after finding one of the teens in a class I was working with carried an airgun on him at all times)
I hope the hard work by Cats Protection pays off. In current times, cats have never been in so much peril in our supposed animal loving nation.