EDEN, Utah — The Humane Society of Utah is offering a $3,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction after awounded cat was found with bullet fragments still lodged in its head.
Blackjack the cat was found inside a garage at a residence in Eden, and when he was found he was bleeding from the mouth. Veterinarians at the Utah Veterinary Center in Midvale determined the feline had suffered a gunshot wound.
A metal plate was implanted to repair a fractured jaw, and several bullet fragments were surgically removed. Saturday, HSU announced the reward in the case.
“The Humane Society of Utah is offering this reward to arrest and convict the person responsible for shooting Blackjack because animal cruelty cannot be tolerated,” stated Gene Baierschmidt, HSU’s executive director, in the press release announcing the award.
The animal advocacy group said they urge people to respond to animal issues by contacting authorities, not by resorting to violence.
“If a person has a problem with a cat on their property, they need to call their local animal control agency and not take the matter into their own hands,” Baierschmidt said.
The Weber County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police at 801-629-8221 or HSU Chief Investigator John Fox at 801-261-2919, extension 210.
