October 17, 2019 - The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the ongoing cruel and thoughtless feline shootings in the Cedar Ridge area of unincorporated Tuolumne County, California.

The Case: Tuolumne County Animal Control and Sheriff’s Office have responded to six reports of domestic cat shootings in the Cedar Ridge Neighborhood from 2017 to present day. On November 1, 2017 a cat “Woodpile” was found shot and was later humanely euthanized due to the extent of the injuries. In 2018 officers received reports that two cats “Sage” and “BC” had been shot on July 25, 2018 and later treated by a veterinarian. This year, officers have received reports of three cats being shot and later treated by a veterinarian on August 30, 2019 and September 9, 2019. Two of the cats “Sage” and “BC” shot in 2019 were the same cats who had been shot in 2018. One additional victim cat “Penny” is still undergoing treatment for an embedded bullet that remains in her head. In addition to the domestic cat shootings, several feral cats have been reported shot and killed in the same area.

Animal Cruelty: Violence against animals is a crime that affects entire communities. The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented by scientists, criminologists and the law enforcement and medical fields. Studies establish a clear link between animal cruelty and many other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault. Securing the serious attention and engagement of law enforcement officials, prosecutors and residents in cases involving allegations of cruelty to animals is an essential step in protecting the whole community.

“It takes a truly disturbed person to shoot defenseless cats,” said Sabrina Ashjian, California state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “We hope that this reward will encourage anyone with information about this terrible crime spree to come forward, not only to help seek justice for these cats, but also to ensure the safety of the entire community.”

The Investigators: If anyone has any information on this case please contact Tuolumne County Supervising Animal Control Officer Joe DeCosta at 209-694-2730 or the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office at 209-533-5815 after normal business hours.

Resources:  The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Cruelty campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources and support to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. We offer rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty.

The Humane Society of the United States has doubled its standard cruelty reward from $2,500 to $5,000 thanks to a generous donation from a board member. More information on statistics, trends, laws and animal cruelty categories.
Source: Humane Society of the United States