Fears Canterbury village is being targeted by serial cat shooter

Fears Canterbury village is being targeted by serial cat shooter

A two-year-old cat Riko is the latest victim of a string of cat shootings in a Canterbury town. 

Riko was reportedly shot by a .22 rifle and, after a number of surgeries, he lost his left eye.

In a Givealittle page his owners, Cody Hayton and Emilia Petronelli say they found him hiding in their house covered in blood.

They thought he had been in a fight, but a visit to the vet showed he had been shot. 

"He has had multiple surgeries, including one to remove the bullet & bullet fragments, as well as another to remove his left eye. He is a true fighter and quite frankly lucky to be alive," the page says. 

SPCA spokeswoman Jessie Gilchrist told the Otago Daily Times three shootings in the past three years in the Prebbleton area could be linked.

"There were three jobs in Prebbleton reported in the last three years. The locations of these incidents could possibly suggest that there is a link."

Gilchrist told the ODT it is difficult to gather enough evidence to prove who the offender is.

Another family, who live five minutes from where Riko was shot, put their cat down after he was shot in the leg. 

The cat, called Midnight, was shot on two separate occasions the ODT reports. 

SPCA and police are investigating the incidents.

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