Officials: Palm Coast family's cat fatally shot in head

Flagler Humane Society searches for person who fatally shot pet in head

PALM COAST, Fla. – The Flagler Humane Society says it is searching for a cat killer after a family's pet was shot in the head and left to die.

The shooting happened last week in a gated Palm Coast neighborhood outside a home on Spanish Oaks Court.

Judy and Aaron Ross, the owners of "Sunshine Maddy," have now posted fliers with their cat's picture outside their home, asking people to come forward with information.

They believe Maddy may have approached someone outside, wanting the person to pet her, when she was shot point-blank in the head.

Judy Ross is now also combing through hours of surveillance video from outside her home looking for clues as to who may have shot her 2-year-old cat. It's been a heartbreaking search as she sees the final moment's of her pet's life.

"She was happy and she wasn't out being destructive. She was just out enjoying the day," said a tearful Ross after looking at the surveillance video.

Maddy was caught on camera strolling through her yard around 8 a.m. Wednesday, but by 8 p.m. that night she had crawled to a neighbor's house, critically wounded.

The Rosses received the devastating news while they were out of town celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.

"It was really hard to hear because you don't want to think that not only that your animal is suffering, but there's an individual out there that just doesn't care," said Ross.

Ross said she has yet to spot the culprit, but she still has hours of video to search.

An officer with Flagler's Humane Society tells Local 6 that Maddy was shot with a copper BB gun at close range on the top of her head. The BB exited through her jaw.

The Rosses said they're now afraid to let their other cat, Bootsie, as well as their grandchildren, play outside.

"Just to think that it can happen to an animal, what's next?" asked Aaron Ross.

"Because if someone takes a shot at a cat, will children be next? I don't know," said Judy Ross.

A Flagler Humane Society officer also tells Local 6, so far, they have not received any other reports of any other animals being shot. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Flagler Humane Society at 386-445-1188.


About the Author:

Lisa Bell has been in Central Florida since 2007, covering the big stories that impact our community. Lisa was promoted to News 6 evening news co-anchor in May 2014.

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