KAILUA-KONA — Humane society officials are hopeful a $1,000 reward will spur tips from the public to track down those responsible for the shooting of three cats on Hawaii Island.
The Hawaii Island Humane Society announced the reward Wednesday morning, about a week after the latest incident in which a cat had to be euthanized after it was found barely alive late last month at a North Kona park with an arrow embedded in its body.
Roxy O’Neal, Kona Shelter manager, said a member of the community anonymously contributed the $1,000 reward for information. O’Neal hopes it will either spur tips or deter future incidents.
The black female cat was the third to suffer life-ending injuries after being shot with arrows since December 2016. The humane society said the reward is for any tips that lead to prosecution in any of the three incidents.
The first instance occurred Dec. 19, 2016, when a cat was found injured by an arrow in the Target parking lot in Kona and the second incident of a cat shot with an arrow was reported in the Hilo area about six months later.
Humane society officers found and recovered the black female cat Aug. 28 at Harold H. Higashihara Park after receiving an anonymous report of a cat running around with an arrow in its body. The cat appeared to have been shot six to eight days prior.
Officials said the cat was shot close-range with a blunt-tipped arrow that penetrated the feline’s forehead and exited out of the top of its spine. The arrow type appeared to be from an intermediate-type bow, specifically for youth.
Hawaii state law forbids the torture or mutilation of pet animals as well as the killing or attempted killing of pet animals without the legal authority or consent of the animal’s owner. Violation of that law is considered a class C felony and carries a sentence of one to five years imprisonment.
Anyone with any information on the incident may make an anonymous statement to Roxy O’Neal at the Hawaii Island Humane Society at 329-1175. They can also call police at 935-3311.