Animal rescue 'astonished' as missing cat Mr Star returns with gunshot wound

Animal rescue 'astonished' as missing cat Mr Star returns with gunshot wound Staff at Severn Valley Rescue, in Billingsley near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, have said they are in 'complete disbelief' after one of their cats, Mr Star, was shot with a rifle Staff at a Shropshire animal rescue have said they are in "complete disbelief" after one of their cats was shot with a rifle. Severn Valley Rescue, in Billingsley near Bridgnorth, said on Facebook that its ginger cat, Mr Star, went missing on Saturday morning and returned in the early hours of Monday limping badly and with a large, infected open wound. He was rushed to a vet, where he was sedated, given antibiotics and pain relief, and underwent X-rays. "To our complete disbelief, the remains of a bullet were found in Mr Star's shattered leg," the centre wrote in a Facebook post. "Not an air rifle. An actual rifle - the type you need a licence for. A real weapon." Mr Star's blood count was so low and he had lost so much blood that the vet was "astonished" he was still alive, the centre added. Amanda Ball, one of the founders of Severn Valley Rescue, has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help cover Mr Star's treatment, which is expected to run into the thousands. The cat is currently receiving treatment to stabilise him ahead of a front leg amputation later this week. At the time of writing, the fundraiser has raised more than £500 - one-fifth of its £2,500 target. "We are still checking all the CCTV and asking neighbours to do the same," Severn Valley Rescue said. "We have, of course, given all information to the police and preserved any evidence." The centre urged anyone with information to come forward, particularly anyone who knows who may have been out shooting near Billingsley on July 17 or 18. Severn Valley Rescue is a registered charity that looks after more than 200 animals. It was set up in 2008 under the name Shropshire Donkey Rescue. Its first official rescue was a donkey called One Eyed Jack, who, as his name suggests, has only one eye. The rescue says it has since taken in many animals with disabilities, including a deaf pig, several three-legged cats, a one-eyed alpaca and a blind donkey.