A family is in crisis after someone shot their pet in their yard
 
RedRover’s $2,500 reward aims to bring to justice the person who shot Noodles. Noodles remains in the care of a veterinary clinic after emergency surgery.  |
September 28, 2011 – RedRover, a nonprofit animal protection organization based in Sacramento, California, is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot a pet cat in the private yard of a Roy, Washington home on Tuesday.
Roy resident Jennifer Walker let Noodles, a four-year-old rescued cat, outside in the morning into a fenced yard while she took her children to school. When she came back, she could not find Noodles. Later in the day, her 8-year-old daughter discovered Noodles lying motionless in the side yard, meowing and shaking. The family rushed Noodles to the veterinarian where they learned that someone had shot her at close range. A .22 bullet was lodged in the cat’s leg, and she needed a life-saving, and costly, emergency surgery to survive.
“If that bullet was two inches away, it would have killed her,” said Jennifer. “My children are attached to our cat, and are devastated that this happened. I can’t explain why someone would want to hurt Noodles.”
RedRover has provided a $200 grant to enable the surgery to begin, but the disabled, low-income family will face a remaining bill of hundreds more dollars. For information on how to make an additional donation for Noodles, please contact RedRover at (916) 429-2457.
“We hope our reward will encourage someone who knows more about this disturbing act to come forward with information that could lead to an arrest,” said RedRover President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “Violence toward animals is often a precursor to violence toward people, so Roy residents have a stake in seeing that whoever committed this senseless act is punished to the full extent of the law.”
Anyone with information in this case is encouraged to call Roy Police Dept at (253) 843-2286.
A study conducted by the Massachusetts SPCA and Northeastern University showed that people who abuse animals are five times more likely commit violence against people, four times more likely to commit property crimes, and three times more likely to be involved in drunken or disorderly offenses.
RedRover pledges rewards around the country to encourage witnesses to step forward with information about animal cruelty crimes and to highlight the need for harsher punishments in such cases. However, RedRover has only paid the reward twice in 17 years, highlighting the need for law enforcement, prosecutors and citizens to take animal cruelty crimes more seriously. Founded in 1987, RedRover focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. Learn more at www.redrover.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Leili Khalessi (916) 429-2457
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