A woman has been left furious and devastated after her cat was seriously injured in a horrific attack on the Leeds Liverpool canal earlier this week.
Ann Bellfield, 54, found her tabby Melly lying injured under a car near Granary Wharf at 8.30am on Wednesday, July 13. She rushed Melly to the vet, where she was told Melly had three air gun pellets in her face, and also had injuries that suggested she'd been restrained.
Ann was horrified by what Melly, seven, endured. She has already spent over £700 to stabilise her beloved cat, and expects to eventually fork out around £3,000 as she appeals to find the culprits.
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Ann, who previously worked in criminal law before deciding to travel the UK's canal network full time, told LeedsLive: "I'm absolutely devastated. I'm an animal lover and just travel with my cat and dog as they're my family. I spent the entirety of yesterday going between crying with heart-break and boiling with rage. Why would someone do this?
"Someone's done this very very deliberately. They shot her at very close range for the pellets to go in like they did. They've tried to kill her. One of them went in almost centre forehead. They've tried to execute her.
"She's very friendly. When people walk past she'll walk up to them and purr and wrap herself around their legs. She's a very gentle soul. My animals have never known any badness and it breaks my heart that this will change Melly's entire personality. She's gone over to someone and they've completely broken her trust and hurt her."
Ann was docked on the Leeds Liverpool canal because she had recently completed all 127 miles of the canal in her narrowboat, which she lives on with Melly and springer spaniel Pugwash. She usually lets Melly out around 10.30pm every night for a wander for an hour or so, and said Melly usually doesn't go very far from the boat before returning. On Tuesday July 12, she had done the same as normal.
"She still wasn't back at 3am, and still again not back at 8am the next day. So I went looking for her both times, and I found her cowering under a car about 100 yards away in the morning," Ann said.
"I could tell there was something wrong with her straight away, she was acting very strange and was really floppy and her face was obviously injured. I thought they were puncture marks from a fight so I got an emergency vet appointment. She was dehydrated and looked to be in shock and couldn't even stand up by the time we got there.
"And then they told me the heart-breaking news that the puncture wounds were because someone had shot her in the face and there were still three pellets inside her - one in her neck, one next to her skull. She's also ripped all her claws out so the vet is pretty sure they've had her restrained somehow to stop her escaping.
"I can't believe she survived."
Vets4Pets were able to stabilise Melly, but will continue to monitor her progress. She has managed to continue eating again but will remain on painkillers for a while. In about a week, vets will attempt to remove the two pellets under her neck.
Those should be easier, but the pellet up against her skull has fragmented so it's not certain how safely it can be removed. It cost Ann £708 yesterday just to stabilise Melly, but the scans, surgery and anaesthetics needed could send her up to £3,000.
"It's not money I've got," Ann said. "I'll have to call in favours.
"I live a modest life and the bill to save Melly has wiped out my emergency fund."
Ann, who previously had lived in Haworth, West Yorkshire, retired five years ago after her husband sadly died suddenly. Struggling with trauma and auto-immune disorder, she decided life was short, and she'd like to take Melly and Pugwash on a boat tour around the country's entire network of canals.
Ann added: "For me, Melly and Pugwash are my family - it's absolutely devastating for something to happen to them. I don't know how someone could be so evil.
"Please don't buy your kids and teenagers airguns, though I know this could've been an adult too. They're not harmless toys. They can kill animals - I know they've killed swans before and I've had two cats injured by air guns before - one of them died after it pierced his bowel.
Ann is appealing to any business owners along the canal near Granary Wharf who may have seen anything or have CCTV footage of the night to get in touch. Her police reference number is 20220714-0294. West Yorkshire Police confirmed to LeedsLive that they were aware of the incident and will be meeting with Ann to discuss the details in further.
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