A cat is recovering after losing an eye in an air gun attack which left her with injuries so severe vets initially thought she had been hit by a car.
Eight-year-old Poppy's jaw shattered and she had to have her eye removed after being shot near her home in Seghill on Sunday, April 21.
Vets treating the much-loved pet suspected she had been hit by a car, but a scan revealed she had been shot under her chin. The pellet's impact shattered Poppy's jaw, causing it to lodge behind her eye socket. Poppy's right eye had to be removed by vets, she is now virtually blind and has to be fed through a tube until she recovers.
The attack was reported to Northumbria Police , but no one has been charged or convicted.
Poppy's owner, Sarah Muir volunteers for Cats Protection, a charity which has renewed calls for air guns to be licensed in England and Wales.
Sarah said: "We came downstairs in the morning to find Poppy in an awful way. I had never seen anything like it, and couldn’t imagine what had happened to her. She was very subdued and quiet, and had obviously used a great deal of energy to get herself home.
"The vet initially said she’d been hit by a car as her injuries were so severe. When they later found the pellet and the entry wound, I felt sick. She’s a very friendly, much-loved cat and the thought that someone could take aim at her to inflict such awful injuries is really upsetting.
"She’s now lost one eye, and the other has been damaged to a point that she is virtually blind. She’ll now have to live indoors for the rest of her life, and has been left with a permanent disability. It's heartbreaking that a happy, healthy cat can so badly affected by one act of horrific cruelty."
Cats Protection has monitored reports of air gun attacks on animals over the past two and a half years.
In 2017, there were 164 newspaper reports of cats in the UK being shot with an air gun. 85% of the attacks were in England and Wales, where any adult is allowed to own an air gun, without requiring a licence.
Two years ago, Scotland introduced mandatory licensing for air gun ownership. Northern Ireland has had a similar law since 2004.
Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy & Government Relations, Jacqui Cuff said: "Poppy’s injuries are horrific, and clearly show the scale and severity of the damage that can be inflicted by an air gun.
"Many people are shocked to learn that these weapons can be owned by anyone aged over 18 in England and Wales. This is in contrast with Scotland and Northern Ireland, which both have sensible, modern laws in place that require licensing of air guns.
"In 2017, 164 cats in the UK were reported in the press as being shot with an air gun and this figure is only the tip of the iceberg. It cannot just be coincidence that over 85% of these reported attacks on cats were in England and Wales.
"Sadly, Poppy’s case is not a one-off and we see many instances where cats are shot by air guns, often sustaining life-changing or fatal injuries. It cannot be right that such weapons are so easily accessible, and modern legislation on air gun ownership is now well overdue in England and Wales."
Cats Protection’s petition is calling on the Government to introduce the licensing of air guns in England and Wales has now gathered over 115,000 signatures.
The Government launched a review into air weapons legislation in October 2017, including a consultation which concluded in February 2018, but has it yet to report its next steps.
The UK's largest shooting association has said existing air gun legislation is 'tough enough'.
In its 2018 response to the Home Office's air gun consultation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation's Rory O'Loughlin said : "Air guns are firearms under the law and are regulated appropriately, more so than the general public are aware.
"The law was changed in 2010 and already addresses the issue of young people having access to air guns.
"There has been a 77 % reduction in air weapon offences from 2003 – 2016; this proves that existing law is working and there is no need for any more. Introducing further national restrictions would be disproportionate.
"We urge the Home Office to look at the situation objectively and consider the practical consequences of what is being proposed."
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