The NYPD is offering a reward after releasing photos of a Brooklyn cat with an arrow piercing his cheek, thought to be inflicted by a crossbow, in a disturbing case of animal abuse.
The female feral cat, named Whitney by rescuers, was found on March 17 around 4:30 p.m. by residents of Frank Court near Lois Ave. in Gerritsen Beach. Whitney’s photos on the wanted poster show a foot-long arrow piercing her right cheek under her ear. Whitney was taken to a local animal hospital for treatment and is expected to survive, the New York Daily News reported. The ASPCA is providing forensic support to the NYPD in its investigation, an agency spokeswoman told Metro, and a $2,500 reward has been posted.
#yourcityyourcall #voiceforthevoiceless pic.twitter.com/F0iCzbbAB3
— NYPDPaws (@NYPDPaws) March 23, 2017
Metro reached out to the NYPD for more information; so far, no arrests have been announced.
Authorities are encouraging anyone with information about the attack on Whitney to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Crossbows are legal in most counties of New York State provided the user is over the age of 14 and has completed the proper courses and certification. Kings County is not listed as a county where crossbows are prohibited. According to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation,crossbows “cannot be dischargedwithin 250 feet of a home, school building or playground, public structure, farm structure in use, or occupied factory or church” without landowner’s permission.
