Getting out of Dodge?

Jack has continued to improve remarkably over the last few days, and has very much returned to normal. As I write this, he is jumping on and off my desk as it his main route to the window. On-off-on-off, every time pushing my head out of the way and running over my laptop. I keep meaning to create some other route for him, but haven't yet. The point is that he is a lot better! Even the coordination problem on his right side seems to have almost gone. It is hardly visible at all now, and I need to watch for a while to notice it at all.

The media coverage has also, inevitably, died down. We managed to get into the local papers, on the local BBC radio and ITV local news, which was very good. I wanted to raise awareness of atrocities such as the act committed against Jack, and hopefully some people were made to think a little, but I doubt there will be much long term effect. Much of the debate on comment columns tended to become polarised between the cat lovers and haters.

I have done a small amount of research into firearms offences and crimes committed with airguns, and I have been amazed by the prolific use of such unlicensed weapons to commit offences against people and animals. People don't seem to pick up on the point that it is easy to just go out and buy a lethal weapon and kill or maim people and animals, without any sort of record. 

In 2008 the RSPCA reported that 759 animals "had been affected by the improper use of airguns". This is only those which were reported to the RSPCA. Many would have died unnoticed, or recovered without anyone realising that they had been shot. One of the vets we saw about Jack told me that animals will sometimes be brought in for some non-gunshot injury, and an x-ray will bring up airgun shots, still in the body, from a previous attack.

I have also been in touch with what appears to be a very level headed organisation called the Gun Control Network, who are campaigning for "for tighter controls on guns of all kinds in Britain and a greater awareness of the dangers associated with gun ownership and use". Trawling through their figures for gun incidents so far this year, there have been at least 35 incidents of cruelty committed against cats alone this year. They also produce records of all firearm incidents and the statistics are sobering for all, especially anyone who thinks that the gun situation is not an issue in this country. The figures for the year covering 2008/09 list a total of 14,250 offences involving firearms. Of this number, 6,042 involved air guns. In other words, 42% of the firearms offences are committed with air weapons capable of killing and maiming, which are unlicensed or registered.

Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-hunting. I am not anti-guns. I understand the need for pest control and support local farmers in their need to protect livestock. I am anti uncontrollable cruelty. Why shouldn't these weapons be recorded. Why shouldn't any responsible person be happy to record their ownership with the Police and be happy to prove their need for either pest control or sports needs? There seem to be too many people out there who think that it is fun to inflict cruelty, and it is far too easy for them to obtain the tools and get away with it.

Gun control will, of course, not be the whole answer. There are still the sick individuals out there who will inflict cruelty on all around them. The people who enjoy killing or maiming a cat will probably enjoy bullying or maiming those people around them, and that may be a bigger problem. Also, I don't have any statistics on this, so I'll have to wait on this topic!