Man Shoots Cat Because It ‘Looked at Him Like He Owned the Place’

The cat was allegedly shot because he acted “like he owned the place” as he pooped on a neighbor’s lawn

ORMOND BEACH, Florida — A man shot and paralyzed a neighbor’s cat after it took a poop in his yard and “looked at him like he owned the place.”

The animal later had to be put to sleep after the man, 63-year-old Billy Allen, shot it with a pellet gun. He now faces possible animal cruelty charges, WKMG-TV reported.

Heidi Hatheaway, who lives in the same Ormond Beach, Florida trailer park as the alleged cat killer said residents were horrified by what Allen did.

“I was pathetic,” she said.  “It was the most saddest thing to see a little animal, literally tears running down its face.”

According to police, Allen told investigators with the Volusia County Sheriff’s office that he shot the cat on Jan. 25 because, it “looked at him like he owned the place” before relieving itself on his property.

Billy Allen could face animal cruelty charges

“It was just a poor judgment call,” Allen told the news station.  He said he didn’t know it was a neighbor’s pet but admitted shooting at cats before, although he had never hit one.

“It was not my intention to hurt that cat. All I wanted to do was get it out in front of my walkway, stop pooping. For the flies and the smell is just horrendous,” he said.

The Florida state attorney’s office said it is reviewing the case to determine whether to charge Allen with felony animal cruelty.