A FAMILY pet has had to have its leg amputated after being shot.

Gizmo, much-loved pet of Sarah Bourne of Shortgate Lane in Laughton near Lewes, returned home on Sunday evening dragging her left foreleg which was bleeding.

A vet discovered that the leg was shattered due to injuries caused by a pellet from a gun.

Sarah said: “Initially I presumed she’d been hit by a car. Her leg was flapping around and she wouldn’t let me touch it, as obviously it was causing her absolute agony.”

Inspection by vets showed Gizmo had suffered a severe fracture and Sarah had to make the difficult decision to allow them to amputate her pet’s front left leg.

Investigating RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley said: “Cats can roam for a mile or more and this was quite a rural location. "However, Gizmo is a black and white domestic cat, so it isn’t plausible that someone could have mistaken her for a fox or even a rabbit.

“It makes me so angry to think that someone would deliberately target a much loved pet like this, but it does appear to be the case here."

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeals telephone number on 0300 123 8018.