Community Corner
Cat Group Offers $5K Reward In Howell Cat Shooting
The group, which advocates for cats around the country, says it wants to make sure the person responsible is caught and punished.
HOWELL, NJ — A national animal welfare organization has offered a $5,000 reward in connection with the shooting of a cat with a crossbow in Howell last week.
Alley Cat Allies said it's offering the reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot the cat. The Monmouth County prosecutor's office announced it was investigating the shooting after the cat was found with the arrow through its upper lip May 6 on Casino Drive.
The cat, which was taken to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital for treatment and is recovering at the Monmouth County SPCA, has been named "Kitty Luck," the SPCA said.
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"There are well-known links between animal cruelty and human violence, so this is a crime that must be taken seriously," said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies.
Investigators believe the cat is a community cat, which lived in the neighborhood but wasn't owned by a particular resident or family.
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"We take animal cruelty cases very seriously in Monmouth County," Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said. "This investigation is a priority for us, and we are committed to securing justice in this case."
"Every animal deserves to be protected and safe from animal cruelty," Robinson said. "Cruelty to animals is unacceptable."
All 50 states, including New Jersey, have enacted laws criminalizing acts of cruelty toward animals.
Robinson urged anyone with information for the cruelty investigation to contact any of the following:
- Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Hotline: (877) 898-7297
- Monmouth County SPCA: (732) 542-0040
- Howell Township Police: (732) 938-4111
Alley Cat Allies, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is an organization seeking to protect and improve the lives of cats through "innovative, cutting-edge programs."
"We are seen around the world as a champion for the humane treatment of all cats," the organization said in a news release.
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