NEW IBERIA — Pet owners living near the City Park in New Iberia tell KATC they fear for their animals lives.
Daniel Wolf says he last saw his three year old cat alive and well on Sunday.
"My niece and I thought he was sleeping under the house right there. We thought he was taking a nap, we didn't want to disturb him. Turns out he wasn't sleeping" pet owner Daniel Wolf said.
Wolf found his three year old black and white cat, Tux, with a bullet wound in his side on Monday near their home on Everette Street.
"You don't do that to pets and stuff. There is no reason, no reason why you should do that," Wolf said.
It isn't the first time Tux was shot at. One month ago, Wolf says the feline came home injured.
Wolf said they found a bullet hole behind Tux's head when the cat came home to eat.
Tux was able to receive treatment and heal. His owners soon found out, Tux is not the first animal to be shot and killed in his neighborhood. One woman who lived a street over from Wolf, on Kirk Street, says it has happened too many times.
"This dates back 7-8 years," Jessica Durkes said. "I couldn't even give you an accurate number off the top of my head."
"Six cats in the last three months, and a dog recently got shot. We find cats all the time that got shot, it's the same metal bullets. There is one specific person in this neighborhood doing this," Brittany Perez, an animal advocate and founder of Pitties & Kitties of South Louisiana, said.
Neighbors are hoping the pet deaths will get a proper investigation. Perez says she is offering a reward for anyone who has video evidence of what is happening.
"Someone has a camera, someone knows, someone sees. If we stand up as a community we can get these laws enforced. These people are suffering," Perez said.
Wolf and his wife are left heartbroken.
"The kids are grown...and moved on, these are our babies," Wolf said.
According to a spokesperson for the New Iberia Police Department, they do not have an open investigation at this time, but it is something they will be looking into.
Cruelty to animals is a federal crime as of late 2019. The penalty can include a fine and up to seven years in prison.
KATC will be following this case and bring you updates if charges are filed.
