Woman left 'devastated' after pet cat is 'shot several times' and seriously injured in Leeds city centre

A woman has been left "devastated" after her beloved pet cat was shot "several times" and left seriously injured in Leeds city centre.
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Ann Bellfield had moored up in Granary Wharf to celebrate covering the distance of the Leeds Liverpool Canal on a boating adventure - but her jubilation was short-lived.

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Her cat Melly disappeared in the night and when Ann found her, she was cowering under a car in a nearby car park.

When Ann found Melly, she was cowering under a car in a nearby car park.When Ann found Melly, she was cowering under a car in a nearby car park.
When Ann found Melly, she was cowering under a car in a nearby car park.

Melly had blood and puncture wounds all over her face.

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"I'm devastated, I couldn't stop crying," Ann told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"I'm on my own on this boat - I've got a springer spaniel called Pugwash and I've got Melly, that's my family. These are my crew.

"We go everywhere together, the cat and the dog are completely inseparable and they're always cuddling up together."

Ann said Melly was left with three pellets in her face.Ann said Melly was left with three pellets in her face.
Ann said Melly was left with three pellets in her face.

Ann initially thought Melly had been in a fight until a vet said there were pellets in her face, leading him to believe she had been shot with an air gun.

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"I took her to the vet and he was quite concerned because she was floppy," Ann added.

"He couldn't quite understand why she was in such a bad condition.

"After the vet told me that she'd actually been shot several times, I just couldn't stop crying."

Due to the extent of Melly's injuries, Ann believes her beloved cat was restrained before being shot at close-range. The incident has been reported to the police.

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Ann said: "If you shoot a cat once, they scarper. She's got three holes in her face and the three pellets are still inside.

"It must have been quite close-range for it to actually go in, it's actually gone in through her face and she's got one in her skull and one either side of her neck still."

A fundraiser has now been set up to cover the vet bills, which are expected to amount to £2,200 in total. Over £700 has already been spent just to stabilise Melly.

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"We're a proper little family," Ann said. "This is not just a pet, she's so friendly. She's always getting photographed because she's always posing on the boat, she'll roll over for people,

"For somebody to break her trust like that and do something so horrible, she must have been terrified. She's like my child, if somebody did that to your child, you'd have nightmares about it."

West Yorkshire Police have arranged to meet with Ann to obtain further information. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police, quoting the crime reference number WYP20220714-0294.

Donations can be made to the fundraiser for Melly's vet bills here.

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