can I charge for animal cruelty on this?

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Well my neighbors made the stupid decision to give their 16 year old an airsoft gun or a BB gun, I can’t really tell. 

ANYWAYS, I have been eyeing them to make a mistake for this past week because I KNEW they would get bored of shooting cans everyday. Low and behold, they shot a cat…IN THE FACE! I immediately yanked my door open and yelled, “EXCUSE ME! If I see you even POINT that gun at another animal, I will be calling the cops, do you understand me!?” and they were just like, “yes ma’am” and went back inside. My heart is broken I didn’t stop them on time. I saw them in my front yard and him raise his gun and as soon as I opened the door he fired and the cat ran under his house. 

My big question is, I threatened something that I am even unsure of actually being able to follow through with. Can the cops take away the gun for shooting at stray cats with it? Even if the gun is “harmless” 

Also, the parents are NEVER around! I honestly hardly ever see an adult and I have no idea what is going on in that house because it seem to just be stuffed with a like 4 or 5 teenagers but I never really see an adult except late at night a older guy stops by and leaves early the next morning again. Sometimes I don’t see a truck out there for days! 

If it happens again what can I do, legally? I was thinking about actually confiscating their gun and telling them if they wanted it back, they need to have their legal guardian come and get the gun from me. Can I legally confiscate his gun if the authorities don’t care they are shooting at stray cats? We have A LOT of strays running around here but I still don’t see this being fair. 

I live in the USA if this makes any difference because I know in other countries bb and airsoft guns are illegal whereas here you can play with them at ANY AGE! gah I don’t know what to do! My blood was boiling with rage when I saw that happen. I have yet to see the poor cat emerge from under the house. 

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Seriously I just saw the truck pull up and a teen ran out of the house and hopped in the truck and he drove off again. Their dad is NEVER around. And I honeslty don’t know who I am dealing with. I am afraid that if I approach the dad about this teen shooting strays he will be the type to get mad at ME for being a nosey neighbor.

[Sarita]

First off, call your animal shelter and find out what the rules are concerning this and let them know so they can investigate. You, yourself cannot bring an animal cruelty charge but the law enforcement officials can.

Laws like this vary from county to county, state to state, city to city. So start first with the local authorities and let them know the situation.

[Sarita]

I can tell you this, that they may possibly not be allowed to fire those things in a neighborhood, because I had a friend who was involved in this same situation and that is what the animal shelter told her to call the police right away if she caught them in the act in the city that she lives in.

Better yet, go down to the animal shelter since you know they shot this cat in the face and they may have you sign an affidavit – I think sometimes you get better answers if you are face to face.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Oh yeah that’s what I meant about the animal cruelty charges. Not me, of course :p
I tried looking up airsoft and bb gun laws in my state but it doesn’t say anything about them

The shelter will not take in any cats. And we don’t have any “animal control officers”

Basically they are just a shelter that just kind of takes in animals by owner surrendered or citizen turning in an animal that they have found and then they are put on the lost and found list on the website. EDIT: They actually have animal officers now! Something mustve changed since January  

Basically, the shelter really won’t help in this type of situation. I am just wondering if this was a good reason to call the cops and get them in trouble. I just feel like no one cares about the strays and find them more of a nuisance anyways and they will just shrug me off. Ugh I just want this cat to be ok, but i haven’t seen him emerge yet

I guess if I see it again I will just call the cops and hope they actually do something about it. I am right on the line of the county so I will have to call the state cops instead of the city cops. Hopefully that won’t make a difference in this situation.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Thank you! And no, I’m pretty sure he can have the gun in the neighborhood because the cops were called the other day because another fellow neighbor thought it was a real gun and the officer came and nothing happened. But I SAW this cat get shot. The only problem is this cat will not let anyone approach him (especially now) the guy was a good 10-15ft away so I know that cat had to feel something especially based on his/her reaction.

I will email the shelter since they are closed now and see what they respond with.

[Sarita]

It may not so much be about the strays but if they are allowed to shoot these things in a neighborhood and if that is the case, then they would not be allowed to do this in the neighborhood at least. That is usually what makes all the difference. There could be as well some animal cruelty laws regardless of if an animal is a stray or not. It may not be a state law, but it could be a county or city law that can be enforced. Even if the animal shelter can’t or won’t do anything they may be able to tell you what the law is or tell you where to go to find help for this situation.

[Sarita]

Well in most cities you are not allowed to shoot air guns or bb guns in city limits – it’s not about the owning but the shooting of them.

[sleepy538]

that makes me sick. however, i suggest you don’t confiscate the gun because you have no legal power to do so and may get charged for taking it.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Oh yes I thought that through and decided it be best to let the authorities handle it if it were to happen again. I just hope that the cops will actually do something about it so the kids won’t think they can shoot cats and get away with it. :/

[LBJ10]

It is illegal here to shoot any kind of weapon, including air guns within the city limits. They can cause bodily injury. I would call the cops and say it is an animal cruelty case. At least if the cops are snooping around, maybe the kids will think twice about doing what they are doing.

[Roberta]

Have you contacted your vet, they may have some contact information for local groups who can act on this ?

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Oh I didn’t think to call my vet on this situation. But if you are wondering about helping all the stray cats? No that won’t happen. Basically kent county really just doesn’t have the room to help rescue the stray cats. Actually. I just looked it up and it’s the whole state. No wonder there are so many stray cats!! How can an entire state not take in stray cats! This is terrible and makes me furious! Cats get no justice compared to the dogs. I’m not even a cat person and I feel so badly for them
I feel terrible because I try not to feed them so they won’t linger around my house. A neighbor a few doors down started feeding one and he easily has 30 cats in his yard every morning.

I did send an email to the rescue to see what they have to say about the situation. I just feel like the state as a whole could care less about the stray cats.

[LittlePuffyTail]

OMG, so awful. Do you know if the cat was okay? He could have put an eye out. I hope the stupid kid puts his own eye out. Serve him right.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

I have yet to see the poor cat come out from under the house since the shooting. It is possible the cat could have lost an eye considering the distance he was shot from and the fact it was in the face. I just can’t believe I actually witnessed this.
The cat lives under their house; he usually comes out and sits in the grass right by the hole from their house and lounges most of the day so if I don’t see him within the next 2 or 3 days I’m going to assume the cat moved on. I don’t think an airsoft gun can kill a cat, right? I just feel like it would cause a lot of pain…and maybe an injured eye :/

[Roberta]

Poor baby is probably laying low for a few days. I don’t suppose the neighbours rely on above ground rain water tanks or something you can slip a LARGE dose of epsom salts into? Won’t kill them but they’ll have the cleanest intestines in the state for a few weeks.

[Sarita]

You are better off finding out if it is legal to shoot the BB gun in the neighborhood as harm to people – that is what get’s the police out.

[longhairmike]

its not a matter of threatening to call the cops if they do it again,, they already shot the cat. i dont think the type of gun matters

call the cops and say you want them to report animal cruelty,, you were a witness so you will likely have to sit down with some paperwork with the police. if police dont act on it, contact the local media

[MissD]

Gosh, some people are just sick. Hope you can report them, next time they might shoot a child, it did happen in Britain – first shooting at squirrels and cats, then at other kids. Poor little cat.

[Ava]

I had to deal with this issue a few years ago. My across the street neighbors young boy(then10years old) got a bb rifle or similar and was playing with it in the front yard. My cat at the time was indoor/outdoor and I knew he was in the front yard, so I kept an eye on the boy through my window. Sure enough, he pointed the rifle towards my house and I assume my cat. I shouted out the window for him not to dare point his gun towards my house or my cat. I think I startled him sufficiently that while I saw him several times after with the rifle, I never actually saw him point the gun towards my house again. If I thought he was eying my or my neighbors cat, I would either go outside or make a show of opening my window. He would usually stop when he saw me.

I agree with Mike about the injured cat, it’s already been injured and should have been reported. It’s a shame that your animal control doesn’t seem to care about the welfare of cats in general. Sad. I think if there are a lot of houses in the neighborhood, then if the kids are aiming at an animal, there will be a house in the way and by that reasoning, people. It’s not really a stretch to say that they are endangering the people in the neighborhood as well, and that will get the police’s attention.

[Stickerbunny]

Honestly, when in doubt, there is a non-emergency police line for questions.

[Hazel]

I agree, it would be best to report them. If something else happens in the future it will make a huge difference if there’s already a complaint about them on file.

Have you seen the cat anymore? A friend of ours had the same thing happen to a stray cat that he fed.The neighbor shot it with a BB gun, right in the eye. It became badly infected and he assumes the cat died since it stopped coming around shortly after that. Maybe this cat could be trapped and taken to a vet?

[NewBunnyOwner123]

I gave them a 2nd chance and I’m not going to go against my word to them.

I saw the cat yesterday for the first time. It took him a few days to emerge from under their house but he was sunning in their yard all day yesterday. And he seemed in good health and wasn’t missing an eye or showed any sign of eye irritant thank god.

Since yelling at the kids about the gun I have only seen them once more with the gun and they were shooting soda cans and a target board. They don’t see me watching them, but I am.

I will continue to keep my eye on them though but so far, they haven’t done anything wrong again. Actually, when they saw the cat lounging in their yard it was just ignored. They didn’t even bother chasing it or spraying it with a hose like they normally do. So I find it good signs that they now realize that just because the cat is a stray and unwanted doesn’t mean they can cruely practice their shooting on him.

[Hazel]

Well I’m glad the cat seems to be ok. He really should find himself a better place to stay though…

[Author]

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