An investigation is ongoing after a 7-month-old kitten was found severely injured on a busy road in Michigan, with 35 pellet shots across her small body.
In a post shared on Facebook on Friday, the Humane Society of Huron Valley launched an appeal to help identify those responsible for the shooting of the kitten, who was found near the intersection of Carpenter Road and Washtenaw Avenue, close to the Red Lobster in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
“The kitten, now named Sugar, has numerous wounds across her face and body. X-rays indicate she withstood approximately 35 pellets shot from a BB gun. Sugar has several severe injuries, including on her eyelid, between her eyes and throughout her small frame.
“Sugar is in the care of our medical team, and we have already moved several pellets embedded in her torso and one dangerously close to her left eye. Despite the severity of her assault and injuries, she is incredibly sweet and just wants love,” the post reads.
The Humane Society of Huron Valley, located at 3100 Cherry Hill Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan, told Newsweek that Sugar was brought in by a concerned resident who found her with severe injuries and immediately rushed to help her.
The shooter is yet to be identified and an investigation on the matter is still ongoing. Despite her injuries, including on her eyelid, between her eyes and throughout her small frame, Sugar is getting better by the day.
“She’s a trooper!” said the HSHV. “She’s gaining weight, and her wounds are healing. We’re still determining if any more BB’s need to be removed; many have healed over but her eye is squinty for example, and she’s on pain medication currently. Staff and volunteers love her so much—she’s the sweetest little cat.”
The Humane Society of the United States website states that since cases of animal abuse are not compiled by state or federal agencies, it’s difficult to calculate how common they are. Moreover, only a fraction of animal cruelty acts in America are reported or successfully prosecuted.
Not all states have laws in place for such atrocities. Currently, only 49 out of the 50 states have laws to provide felony penalties for animal torture on the first offense, only Iowa doesn’t have such a law.
In a press release shared on Friday, the HSHV said it has found evidence that suggests Sugar was likely a family pet who was used as target practice.