Stray cat survives shotgun blast from Gorham officer, who thought feline was rabid

[Garion_55]

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/

WESTBROOK, Maine — Clark, a stray cat, is recovering from leg injuries caused when a Gorham police officer shot him last month, believing the animal was rabid.

“Clark’s doing well. He’s receiving vet care and treatment. He’s resting comfortably and certainly recuperating,” said Jeana Roth of the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook, where the cat was brought four days after being shot on Aug. 20. “Animals are certainly resilient, and Clark certainly is a strong boy.”

Roth said it will be “a couple of weeks, if not longer” before the cat can be adopted. Clark will be kept on cage rest to see if his injuries heal naturally; if not, he’ll get surgery.

In either case, she said, “he has a bright future ahead of him.” That’s a very different outlook than in late August, when a Gorham police officer, convinced the stray was rabid, reportedly fired a shotgun at him.





PAWS UP!!!! DONT SHOOT!!!!





Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2014/09/04/news/portland/stray-cat-survives-shotgun-blast-from-gorham-officer-who-thought-feline-was-rabid/?ref=comments

[shenmue]

1. The poor thing

[PeoViejo]

2. The cat was probably coming over to say hi.

Where does the PD get these Dolts?

[Mz Pip]

3. Rabies in cats is rare.

Stupidity in some coos seems to be plentiful.

[tabasco]

4. Fucking pigs love to shoot harmless animals and people

Goddamn cowardly assholes.

[valerief]

6. Ain't it the truth.

[mahannah]

5. Shotgun on a cat?

[valerief]

8. Someone else must have been using the PD grenade launcher. nt

[msanthrope]

10. Messy. nt

[Damansarajaya]

7. The cat reached for its waistband. nt

[magical thyme]

9. a man told police the stray cat attacked his 7-year-old daughter. they were unable to catch the cat

"The Portland Press Herald first reported that a Maple Ridge Road man told police the stray cat attacked his 7-year-old daughter. Responding officers were unable to catch the cat, and concerned the animal was infected by rabies — which, left unchecked, could spread dangerously among other animals in the area — one officer fired at the feline with a 16-gauge shotgun, the Press Herald reported.

The cat fled into the woods, and wasn’t seen again until he showed up four days later in the nearby yard of a woman who in the past had offered him food.

“He’s lived in this neighborhood in this community for about three years, with one community member making sure he was fed,” Roth said. “He was humanely caught by this woman who lived in the neighborhood. … He was rushed to the emergency room when he first got here, and he saw an orthopedic surgeon.”

I have issues with Maine, but my experience in general is the police up here are good with animals.

[840high]

11. Thanks for this.

[Gormy Cuss]

15. Gorham's really far from a competent animal rescue group, so it's understandable.

After all, it may be *ten* miles from that location to the Animal Rescue League.

I hope that the Gorham PD is looking at its training for response to feral cat complaints.

Of the +500 animals tested for rabies in Mainet last year only 4 tested positive and none of them were cats (or dogs for that matter.)

[magical thyme]

16. as I wrote above, *my* experience with animal control and police in Maine is that they are good with

animals.

I'm hoping this is an aberration and not the start of a trend.

[NickB79]

17. OK, this story makes no sense at all

First of all, the X-rays show the cat peppered with birdshot, while a standard load for police shotguns is buckshot (birdshot is like small BB's, while buckshot is like ball bearings).

I kept thinking "How did that cat survive a buckshot blast?"

Then I read "one officer fired at the feline with a 16-gauge shotgun". :wft:

All police shotguns are 12-gauge, nationwide. No major gun manufacturer has offered 16-gauge shotguns for 50 years; it's an obsolete caliber and ammo is almost unavailable these days. That would explain the birdshot injuries though, since 16-gauges were popular for pheasants and grouse using birdshot loads.

So basically, it sounds like the officer was carrying around a personal firearm in the back of his cruiser and discharged it instead of his service weapon while on duty. I'm pretty sure that violates all sort of rules regarding police conduct, no?

[magical thyme]

18. older article shows both the police and animal control officer under investigation

And the police department is paying the bills.
http://www.pressherald.com/2014/09/04/stray-cat-suspected-of-having-rabies-recovering-from-police-shotgun-blast/

"Meanwhile, the Gorham police officer who shot the cat, and the animal control officer who couldn’t catch the stray suspected of being rabid, are awaiting the results of a police department investigation into the incident.

The department is footing the medical bills for Clark, named for Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent. He is recovering in a Westbrook shelter, and he didn’t have rabies, it turns out.

A police officer shot the cat Aug. 20 after it reportedly bit or scratched a 7-year-old girl on Maple Ridge Road, Gorham police said. Police refused to release the names of the officers involved because of the investigation. Both officers continue to work for the department, Lt. Chris Sanborn said.

Dr. Sheila Pinette, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said state law requires animal control officers to capture suspected rabid animals and bring them to a veterinarian or animal shelter to be observed in isolation. But officers can shoot an animal if they believe it is an imminent threat to humans or other animals.

Animal Refuge League officials say this is the first time they have treated a cat shot by a police officer.

“This is not a typical way for a cat to be brought to us,” said Jeana Roth, community relations manager for the animal shelter. “We never want to see a situation like this again.”

[okasha]

12. Take the medical expenses out of the idiot's paycheck.

[magical thyme]

19. the police dept. is paying the medical expenses

and the cop and animal control officer are/were under investigation.

[okasha]

20. Good.

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. good

[Xolodno]

13. I'm bitting my toungue so hard right now...it might bleed.....

...I.............can't say any more.

[DeSwiss]

14. Just Say No!

- To catnip, a gateway drug......

K&R

[sakabatou]

22. WHY?!

Is it so hard to set a trap instead of fucking shooting it? Sure it may have attacked but does that mean you have to shoot the poor animal?