COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WKRN) — A family is heartbroken after someone shot and killed their beloved pet cat. The owners have reminded people that animal cruelty is a serious crime.
Hopper the cat’s owners, Julia Mandella and fiancé Josh Shuskey, told News 2 they’re heartbroken.
“He was really outgoing, adventurous — just a beautiful cat and he just brought so much joy to my life,” Mandella said.
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The couple said they let Hopper outside Monday afternoon.
“He likes to go outside [and] just take a stroll, walk around,” Mandella said. “He came back in around 4 o’clock. That’s when he was hurt.”
“Our cat wasn’t mean to nobody. He didn’t bother nobody,” Shuskey said. “He was probably just out taking a stroll and was minding his own business.”
Mandella and Shuskey said someone shot Hopper with a BB gun. Shuskey said Hopper’s condition started to deteriorate overnight, so they tried to transport him for veterinary care.
“On the way there is when he died in Josh’s arms in the car,” Mandella said.
Julia said Hopper was like family, having adopted him from the Williamson County Animal Shelter in 2021 as a kitten.
“We kind of picked each other. He picked me from all of the other cats and when I brought him home, he sat here on the entire drive home,” Mandella said, gesturing to her chest.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported a rise in animal cruelty cases by almost 40% from 2020 to 2022.
The couple is now desperate and determined to find out who did this to Hopper; similar things had also happened to other beloved pets in their neighborhood. They hope anyone who knows something about this contacts the Columbia Police Department with any information they have.
