$3,000 reward offered to solve Eden cat shooting case
Pet cat wounded by gunshot to head, Humane Society of Utah offers reward
The Humane Society of Utah (HSU) is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for shooting a four-year-old black domestic shorthair cat named Blackjack. The HSU hopes the reward assists the Weber County Sheriff’s Office in obtaining information required to identify and charge whoever is responsible for this act of animal cruelty.
Blackjack was found by his owners in the garage of their Eden, Utah home with blood coming from his mouth and was taken to the Utah Veterinary Center in Midvale, Utah. X-rays revealed that the cat had been shot by a gun. A metal plate was implanted to repair the cat’s fractured jaw bone and many fragments from an unknown bullet were surgically removed by Dr. Christina Boekhout.
“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,” said Gene Baierschmidt, HSU executive director.
HSU recommends pet owners keep their cats indoors to prevent the risk of outdoor injuries from occurring.
“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,” said Baierschmidt.
Blackjack’s owners, Lee and Carole Johnson, could seek reimbursement for damages and veterinary care costs from the person responsible.
“We’re relieved to hear that Blackjack is home and wish him a speedy recovery,” said Baierschmidt.
Anyone with information regarding who may have shot Blackjack is urged to contact the Weber County Sheriff’s Office at 801-629-8221 or John Fox, HSU chief investigator, at 801-261-2919 ext. 210.
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About the Humane Society of Utah
The Humane Society of Utah (HSU) is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. Since 1960, the HSU has been sheltering abandoned animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and creating an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals across the state. As an open-admissions shelter, the doors are always open for any animal we can legally accept. The HSU is a member of the No-Kill Utah Coalition and works hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters the facility will be placed into a loving home. In 2015, 11,318 pets received positive outcomes and we achieved no-kill statistics for both cats and dogs for the first time – a milestone in 55 years. The Humane Society of Utah is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization that does not receive any tax dollars or government funding and is not a branch of any national organization. We are solely funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations in our community. Read more about the HSU online at utahhumane.org.
