Three people have been charged in Tennessee after authorities said stray cats were shot with blow darts near a gas station. Several animals died, while one surviving cat suffered injuries that came within millimeters of her spine and aorta.
Darlene Hooper was arrested Tuesday and faces three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, each classified as a Class E felony, along with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, WSMV 4 reported.
Two juveniles were also charged with aggravated cruelty to animals in Houston County Juvenile Court.
The alleged attacks occurred in Erin after Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue was notified about a dead cat and an injured kitten at the Honeysuckle Exxon.
A rescue volunteer later discovered several more dead cats that had reportedly been struck by blow darts, according to WSMV 4.
Police recovered a blow dart gun and a pile of darts believed to have been used in the attacks, the station reported.
One cat, named Xena, survived. She was found staggering around the property with a dart lodged through her torso.
A surgeon said the projectile had passed dangerously close to causing fatal injuries.
“One millimeter higher would have severed her spine,” the surgeon told WSMV 4. “One millimeter lower would have severed her aorta.”
Xena underwent a CT scan followed by emergency surgery. She was later shown being discharged in a full-body cast.
Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue said Xena’s emergency care is expected to exceed $10,000 and is asking the public for donations to help cover the cost.
The rescue initially said it had been told that roughly 25 to 30 cats had been living in woods behind the gas station and coming down to be fed, but that only nine remained.
It also said some of the cats had allegedly been killed in a similar manner and that some had portions of their fur skinned away.
The organization offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
