Cat left for dead after horrific crossbow attack
A BELOVED family pet has miraculously survived a sickening crossbow attack which saw him shot through the chest with an arrow and left for dead.
The arrow narrowly missed the vital organs of one-year-old cat Dave and, after spending three nights recovering from the horrific attack, he has finally returned to his home in Terrington St Clement.
Dave, who is the pet of eight-year-old Phoebe Childerhouse, was missing for around six days before struggling home one morning when he was found with the arrow impaled in his chest.
The sickening discovery was made by Phoebe's sister Hannah (12), a pupil at St Clement's High School, and their mum Juliet had grave fears the stricken animal would not survive.
She told the Lynn News: "Hannah was having her breakfast and said she could hear Dave. I looked out of the living room window and saw him with what looked like a play dart. She started screaming and when I looked again it was a giant arrow."
Mrs Childerhouse (48), of Racecourse Road, added: "They were so distraught, Hannah was screaming constantly, she would not go to school. She came to the vets with us and they were more concerned with how she was reacting.
"But Phoebe was in the mind that the vet would make Dave well.
"When he was at the vets they would not get ready for school until we had phoned to see if he was up and having his breakfast.
"When he finally came home it was party time. We were honest with them and said he has not fully pulled through, but, touch wood, he has now."
Dave is now on a course of antibiotics and still has staples in his chest from his injuries.
The cost of his treatment left Mrs Childerhouse and her husband Andy (48) with an 800 vets bill.
The family believe the attacker who shot Dave assumed the animal was dead, but he has now beaten the odds to survive.
Mrs Childerhouse said: "The police thought it was someone riding past who shot him, but in our view it was a clean shot at close range.
"We need someone to open the Lynn News and think 'Oh God, that cat did not go and die somewhere'."
Dave was treated at Lynn's Mill House Veterinary Surgery and vet Sarah Colegrave said he had a lucky escape as the arrow used was not particularly sharp, meaning it pushed itself between the tissue rather than tearing through it.
She added: "We took some x-rays and could see it had missed all the major veins and arteries, but it was right through his chest.
"It is remarkable he survived really. If it had punctured any of the major or significant airways he would have had air leaking into his chest and his lung would have collapsed. If it had gone through one of the big blood vessels he would have died."
The Lynn News has reported several stories of attacks on pets in recent months.
In May, Boo, the pet cat of Watlington youngster Kieron Jones (11), died after she was shot in the spine and on Friday we reported on Jack Russell Bobo, who was found minutes from death after suffering a horrific bite wound.
Anyone with information about the crossbow attack should contact the police on 0845 4564567.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
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