Cat in Rheinau allegedly shot with an air rifle – police are looking for witnesses!

Cat in Rheinau allegedly shot with an air rifle – police are looking for witnesses!

In a frightening incident in Rheinau, Ortenaukreis, a worried owner's cat was allegedly made difficult with an air rifle. How stern.de Reportedly, the owner discovered a wound on her one-year-old cat that turned out to be a serious gunshot wound. A veterinarian found a diabolo bullet behind the eye and another bullet on the cat's shoulder. According to initial investigations, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening and it is suspected that the cat may have been shot in April, when it was initially assumed that it was a bite wound.

The police have now started the investigation and are looking for further witnesses. Anyone who has seen something or can provide information should call 0781 21-2700. This case raises questions about how often animals in the region are victims of violence. In fact, a recent publication by animal rights organizations shows that animal cruelty is often not sufficiently punished in Germany. This was done on the website www.tierschutz-skandale.de Animal rights organizations have documented numerous scandals since 2016.

Repeated incidents in the region

A similar incident recently occurred in Offenburg, where a cat was injured by an air rifle. Loud bnn.de The cat returned to its owner on June 10, 2024, distraught. A bullet hole was found on her body, which alerted the concerned owner. Here too, the police were called in to investigate the incident.

These fates cast a shadow over the animal community and make it clear that there is an urgent need for a rethink. What is particularly depressing is that the average inspection of an animal husbandry in Germany takes place every 17 years. In some federal states, such as Lower Saxony and Bavaria, inspections are even rarer, which makes the calls for better animal protection measures even louder.

A call to action

The public's horrified reaction to such incidents is understandable. Animal welfare organizations have repeatedly emphasized that animal suffering is not an unfortunate isolated case, but part of a larger problem. Solutions are needed and these must be promoted, among other things, by a rethinking of society and the authorities. Shockingly, only 24 of 163 documented cases resulted in a conviction, highlighting the urgency of tackling such crimes.

It is time to stand up in solidarity for the weaker. Any reference to the incidents in Rheinau or Offenburg can help bring justice to the injured cats and prevent future tragic incidents. We must not silence the voices of animals.