DUNMORE, Pa. -- A family in Lackawanna County is mourning the loss of a pet who was killed after being shot in the abdomen.
Now the Cherney family is asking for the community to help find who did it.
The Cherney family loved their cat, Butters.
Unfortunately, the family says Butters passed away after being shot in the abdomen Sunday night in Dunmore.
Brooke Cherney says Butters came back inside the house after being outside around 7:30 in the evening and immediately they knew something was wrong.
“He vomited at the bottom of the stairs, outside, he vomited again inside and again upstairs,” said Brooke. “Every time there was little drops of blood coming out.”
But when it appeared the cat wasn`t getting any better, they rushed him to a veterinary hospital hours later. That's where he died.
The family says an X-Ray taken at the vet showed he'd been shot with a pellet gun.
“There was a very small incision hole,” said Brooke. “It`s disgusting. I don't know how anybody could do this.”
The family is making a plea to the community that if anyone has information to contact Dunmore police.
Luzerne County SPCA Humane Officer Wayne Harvey says if the person is caught, they could face some serious charges.
Under “Libre's Law” passed by Pennsylvania lawmakers last year to harshen penalties for animal cruelty, People can now face felony charges and several years in jail for animal abuse.
Harvey believes he made the first animal cruelty arrest under Libre's Law in Luzerne County when he charged Max Stevey of Pittston with a felony for killing a cat last October.
“Satisfying that I could file that high of a charge against this individual, in the past I could only do a misdemeanor 1,” said Harvey.