A Crewe Magistrates’ Court judge has ordered the man who shot a cat for being on top of a fence on a property line to not be allowed to keep animals for ten years, Metro.co.uk reported November 23.
The tragedy with a six-year-old cat named Roxy began on June 20 around 8 p.m. in Norwich, Cheshire (UK) when the kitty was on top of a fence separating the property between owner Isobel Cooper and her neighbor Peter Shaw.
Shaw, 55, shot Roxy. Isobel ran outside in time to find her cat gasping for breath and crying after being fatally injured with a pellet air rifle. She saw Shaw going back into his home carrying the rifle and rushed Roxy to Pets at Home in Norwich.
Roxy was x-rayed where it was discovered a pellet was inside her and had perforated her bowel The vet was unable to save Roxy and she had to be euthanized.
Cheshire Police was called and the air rifle was removed from the home. The RSPCA began an investigation and Cara Challinor with the RSPCA told the court how Roxy had just had her dinner when she was shot.
Shaw admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Along with the ban on keeping animals, he was given an 18-week suspended sentence, 200 hours of unpaid work and has to pay £2,347 in prosecution cost.
Isobel described Roxy as ‘very timid and loving.’
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It is unlikely that anyone will police this ban. One would hope that the neighbours would report it to the police and the RSPCA
A better response would have been a lifetime ban on any contact with animals. This, when publicised can bring about reports on violation.
The only reason anyone keeps an air gun in the UK is to injure or kill pets and wildlife. A ban is long overdue.
Poor Roxy. What an awful end for a sweet little cat.
Good point about enforcing the ban. After a few years years the court order will be history.
Also, a ban on keeping animals won’t affect him as poor little Roxy was not kept by him.
He just kills the animals kept by others.
Utter scum.
And just because the judge bans pet ownership doesn’t mean the courts will check up on him. Plus he can still shoot at cats belonging to other people.