SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A family was left heartbroken after finding their cat shot last Saturday.
They found a beloved family pet had been shot around Oak Grove Park, behind his home.
Andy Salmon says that after the death of his cat he has not only filed a police report but also canvases his neighborhood.
Today, Salmon tries to remember the good days with his beloved cat, Louie.
He told Ozarksfirst he was a very sweet and active cat that loved being outdoors.
“Louie was a happy camper. He was a delight,” said Salmon. “His tail would be up in the air. He goes to the back of the room and he’s running back there, running back from the back rooms up to here.”
Now it’s just him and Louie’s sister, Ella, leaving the house sadly calmer than before and the neighborhood shocked.
“Everybody… has been amazed and alarmed. We’ve never had something like this happen here,” Salmon said.
On Saturday, November 19, around 4:00 p.m., Salmon says he came home to find Louie had been badly injured after being outside all day. He said he immediately took him to the vet, where they told him that his cat had been shot.
Just a few hours later he found that Louie would not make it.
In Missouri, animal abuse is a class a misdemeanor, and in some cases, it may be a felony.
Salmon says he hopes whoever did this is found and hopes he is able to get justice for Louie.
“I’m going to really miss him,” said Salmon.
Springfield police department says this is the only incident like this reported this month.