It is with great despair and an overwhelming feeling of loss that I write this letter.

I live in the Springs 2, Villa 43 with my Wife and Daughter.

On Thursday evening The 7th of May 2009, spending a normal evening with my family at home, enjoying the last few nights of coolish weather before the heat wave sets in.

Between 8:30 and 9:00pm while sitting outside with my wife, we noticed a strange sound, almost like a dull explosive sound, not knowing what it was we decided to continue with what we were doing, a few minutes later we heard the same thing again, once again ignored it, and then a few minutes after that for a third time we heard the sound again. At that point in time (9pm) we decided to go and look for our 2 cross Persian cats who were playing outside, and as usual was climbing up and down the trees and taking a stroll along the boundary walls. We opened the garden gate that leads from our property onto the pavement along Street 2, the busy road crossing through Emirates hills and the Springs.

When we got onto the pavement outside we notices our ginger cat “Salty” was frantically trying to climb the tree to try and get back into our property from the road side. As my wife came closer to see why he was in such a state she noticed he had blood on his right front paw. When she picked him up we noticed his leg was broken and he had some blood on his chest and in his mouth. My initial thoughts were that he was run over by a car, immediately we rushed inside to get the Cat Basket to take him to the Al Barsha Vet for possible treatment, while arranging the basket he was in such unbearable pain that he was crying nonstop.

We left our Villa and proceeded to the Vet in Al Barsha, within about 7 minutes from leaving home he Sadly died on my wife’s lap while holding the basket, he just stopped breathing. My wife was in hysterics at this point in time. We continued to the vet to arrange for his cremation. We were absolutely devastated.
While we were at the vet we asked our daughter to go and look for “Pepper” The little female tortoiseshell cross Persian cat, who was Salty’s sister from birth. When we got home she informed us that she could not find her. Our family was in total shock and disarray. We called outside a few times and “Pepper” did not come. After searching and calling for at least a half an hour I decided to go look outside where we found “Salty”. To my shock I found “Pepper” about 2 meters away from where we found “Salty” lying in some bushes, also dead. As if it was not enough one of our cats dying both was dead. We were totally devastated!!

We once again got in the car and went back to the vet with “Pepper” to have her cremated. I initially thought that someone might have poisoned them as it is just about impossible that both “Salty” and “Pepper” would be hit by a passing car. I agreed with the vet that they would perform a post mortem to establish the cause of death.

The Al Barsha clinic phoned me on Friday afternoon and confirmed that the post mortem was performed on Pepper and to clarify the cause of her death. Both Salt and Pepper were shot by someone with a “Pellet Gun / Air Gun”. Pepper was hit in the chest and the bullet went through her heart, liver and both ends of the stomach. She died instantly. The vet decided to take x-rays of both cats and it clearly shows the bullets within their bodies. Salty on the other hand had 2 bullets lodged in him, One in the front leg, which broke his bone, and on was lodged in the chest which explained the Blood in the mouth and on the chest. He lasted a bit longer in pain and agony before he died on the way to the vet. Both of our cats died due to being shot by someone at close range.

The worst for my family out of this whole ordeal is the way that “Salty” had suffered before he died, and the loss of 2 fantastic little cats, due to someone that has absolutely no value for life. Another extremely disturbing fact is that it was one of our neighbours, They were shot at close range and also close to our villa, which explains the “3” shots we heard before going out to investigate. A Pellet gun does not make much noise, only a dull sound, which was clearly heard by my wife and myself, therefore explains how close it was to where we were sitting. 3 Shots fired; all 3 in our cats.

I write this letter with deep sorrow and remorse in me, Due to some Idiot that has nothing better to do than feed his bitterness and hate.

YOU TOOK 2 OF THE MOST WONDERFULL CREATURES FROM OUR FAMILY; WE LOVED OUR CATS LIKE WE WOULD LOVE A HUMAN.

I know you feel no remorse for what you did, you will continue to do it and cause a lot of pain and suffering to so many more families. I just hope that next time when you decide to discharge your gun in a residential area, there are no children around to be hurt.


André van Wyk
050 253 8670

I'm very sorry to hear your story. Unfortunately you're not alone.

We "inherited" a stray cat a few months ago in the Ranches. One of the kids felt a lump near his ribs. When we took him to Modern Vets in Jumeirah Dr. Renato there found a metal pellet in him, shot from some kind of BB gun, and had to surgically remove it. Luckily the worst he had was a few stitches and he's grown into a healthy cat.

Has anyone else had this happen to them?

Dear Andre,
I cannot imagine wat you and your family is going through! Makes me sick when innocent and harmless are targetted by such monsters. I have no words that could possibly console you and your family! And recently due to negligence by the vet, my cat has been missing since April...it is harrowing to see a beloved family member taken away from us so tragically! What goes around, comes around.Somewhere, somehow..those monsters who have done this will pay if notdirectly, then through someone that is dear to them. I am not a violent person, what I do not stand for is absolute disgusting violence and abuse of the defenseless and innocent!
My Prayers are with you and your family Andre.
God Bless you and guide you through this darkness.....

Thank you for your kind words and understanding. It is a very difficult time indeed.

Dear Andre,
I cannot imagine wat you and your family is going through! Makes me sick when innocent and harmless are targetted by such monsters. I have no words that could possibly console you and your family! And recently due to negligence by the vet, my cat has been missing since April...it is harrowing to see a beloved family member taken away from us so tragically! What goes around, comes around.Somewhere, somehow..those monsters who have done this will pay if notdirectly, then through someone that is dear to them. I am not a violent person, what I do not stand for is absolute disgusting violence and abuse of the defenseless and innocent!
My Prayers are with you and your family Andre.
God Bless you and guide you through this darkness.....