Auckland family's pet cat put down after being doused in sulphuric acid

Sparrow the cat had to be put down after sulfuric acid was allegedly thrown on it. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland family are devastated and seeking answers after sulphuric acid was allegedly dumped on their pet cat and the animal had to be put down.

Valentina, of Glenfield, said the family's 9-year-old cat Sparrow lost his eyesight after the acid was poured on its back and face on Sunday.

She was away at work when she received a call from her son at home telling her there was a cat underneath the deck howling in pain.

Another of her children discovered it was Sparrow and because she couldn't leave work the children were forced to take him to the emergency vet.

The vet told the family they believed the substance was sulphuric acid.

"The stuff on him was yellow and kind of bleached his hair, apparently it had got into his eyes and his face," Valentina told the Herald.

"I heard him meowing on the phone when my son put the phone by him. It was just horrendous and only a few hours before that he was fine.

"The kids made the decision [to put him down] because they were on the spot and they did really well, they had never seen anything like that before."

The acid stained Sparrow's fur and got on his face and in his eyes. Photo / Supplied

Sparrow had yellow marks all over his back and the acid appeared to get inside his mouth and into his organs, Valentina said.

She posted about the incident online and it was shared to a Facebook group where other members told her their cats had also been attacked.

She said it was heartbreaking that people could do this type of thing and the incident had been reported to police who told the Herald they were making enquiries.

Valentina said she wished people could live together in peace but said there are some people out there who did "horrific" things.

"He was in so much pain, the cry he was making was really haunting, it was just horrible," she said.

"He kept the family together … he was just the old boy and he was just a normal, loving, home-bodied little guy ."

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact North Shore Police on 09 477 5000.

Meanwhile, four puppies were dropped off in a black, plastic barrel in a park picnic area in Auckland today.

SPCA Auckland posted about the puppies, saying it was "remarkable" they survived after being exposed to the elements.

"They had no water, no shade, and no way for them to escape. We have no idea who did this to them. All we know is it's remarkable they survived.

"Their fur was brown because they were covered head-to-toe in faeces, vomit and urine.

"The smell was so strong. We dread to think how long they'd been in there for."

The four puppies are now being cared for in the canine intensive care unit at the SPCA.

THESE PUPPIES JUST ARRIVED IN OUR CARE. The four puppies were heartlessly dumped in a black plastic barrel in a park...

Posted by SPCA Auckland Centre on Wednesday, 30 January 2019