Watchdog reward for cat clues

A $500 reward is being offered over the shooting of a Tauranga cat.
Animal abuse watchdog Paw Justice has posted the reward for information leading to the identity and apprehension of whoever shot a cat belonging to Lyn Poultney's Otumoetai family.
The cat, TJ, had to have one of its legs amputated and Paw Justice also offered to pay the $1000 vet bill.
Mrs Poultney said the family had been "overwhelmed" with supportive phone calls since the 4-year-old cat's plight featured in the Bay of Plenty Times on Monday.
Mrs Poultney has laid a complaint with police.
Craig Dunn, of Paw Justice, said the attack on TJ in Tauranga was among a spate of recent cat shootings around the country.
Paw Justice has also put up a $1000 reward for information leading to the identity of an unknown person who shot a Palmerston North cat five times with a slug gun on Tuesday last week.
"This must be the fourth or fifth time it's happened lately and it's absolutely shocking," Mr Dunn said.
"It's just another example of why people should have to have licences to buy air rifles."
Cats were common targets of mischievous children with air rifles, he said.
"They should not be left in the hands of young kids."
This week's Bay of Plenty Times article attracted a flurry of interest on Paw Justice's Facebook site.

- Bay of Plenty Times