Pensioner’s despair as beloved cat is shot 25 times with pellet gun
A Londonderry pensioner has spoken of her shock and heartbreak as the life of her beloved family cat hung in the balance last night after the much-loved pet was shot 25 times with a pellet gun.
Nellie McGinley from the Currynierin area of the city found two-year-old Lucky bleeding and gravely injured at her gate on Wednesday night.
The 79-year-old pensioner rushed her pet to a nearby vet who, after X-raying the animal, discovered 25 pellets inside its body.
Nellie said she is praying her “best little friend” survives.
“Lucky went out on Wednesday night and didn’t come home, which isn’t like her,” she said.
“I went out with my stick to the street looking for her and calling her name.
“On Thursday morning I heard a faint cry at the back gate and I got her out there.
“She crawled up on her stomach.
“She had no power in her legs, one of them was definitely broken.
“We wrapped her in a blanket and raced her to the vet.
“She has 25 pellets in her, around her stomach and one in her head.
“Police don’t know if she was held down and shot or chased and shot.
“The vets took a pellet from her head and they have sent it away for analysis.
“If it is a lead pellet then she will have been poisoned and won’t survive,” the distressed pensioner said.
“We won’t really know until late on Friday whether she is going to live or die.”
Nellie says Lucky is very special to her, particularly since she almost died less than a year ago after being knocked down on the nearby Ardmore Road.
“I can’t understand why anyone would do something like this to a little cat,” she said.
“She is an innocent little animal who never did any harm to anyone. I would like people to own up and say that they did it and why they did it. I live here on my own, I say nothing to no one. I would hurt nobody. I can’t understand why they would victimise my cat.
“I would say to those who did this, please, please come and face me and tell me why you did it. That’s all I’m asking.
“She is such a loveable cat, such a beauty. I am heartbroken about this.
“My cat is here all day with me, she is like my best little friend.”
The PSNI have asked anyone with information on the incident to contact them.
“Officers have just spent time consoling a grandmother who found her cat with serious injuries,” they said.
“It is presently with the vet who has said it has been shot with a pellet gun and has 25 pellets in its body.
“The cat would not go far from its home on the Tullymore Road, Londonderry.
“If you have any information that can help us find the despicable excuse of a human being that caused this suffering then please ring 101.”