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Residents are raising concerns after an injured cat, which appears to have been shot with a BB gun, and mutilated fish were found in the Sagewood area earlier this month.

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Concern raised over mutilated animals

Several residents are raising concern after mutilated fish remains were found in the Sagewood area.

Airdrie RCMP responded to a complaint about the fish on June 15. Officers discovered several fish, whose species is unknown, with unusual holes in them beside the canal system.

According to police, an unknown member of the public reported seeing some youth in the area catching fish and shooting them with BB guns a few days prior to the complaint being made.

Other incidents, including an injured cat, discovered with what appears to be a BB or pellet gun wound in its temple, and 11 missing ducklings have become a hot topic on several Internet discussion sites in the city, including Facebook and the Airdrie Mommas forum.

Sagewood resident Genna Lam became concerned after seeing the fish on a June 12 walk along the water near her home.

On that day, Lam and her family went to take some photos of a pair of ducks and recently hatched ducklings they had been watching since the birds paired up earlier this spring.

“As we were headed that way we saw some strange things,” Lam said.

“We saw three fish in total with holes straight through their heads. It appeared that someone took them out of the water.”

During the same walk, the family saw the injured cat, but was unable to find the ducks. Concerned about the birds, Lam walked the paths the next day, but still couldn’t spot the ducks.

However, when she investigated further, Lam discovered a trampled nest and a strong smell of decay in the area.

According to Lam, the adult ducks have since returned but there is no sign of the ducklings. She fears the worst.

The Airdrie RCMP would like to remind the public that carrying or shooting a loaded firearm, pellet gun, BB gun, air gun or gas-operated gun within city limits is against City bylaw number 910.

“It is against the law to discharge a BB gun in the city limits,” said Airdrie RCMP Cst. Meagan Fillion.

The RCMP would also like to remind the public that reporting these kinds of incidents in a timely manner is important for the safety of the fish, wildlife and our community as a whole.

“If anybody sees anything suspicious or out of the ordinary please don’t hesitate to contact the RCMP,” said Fillion.

Lam agrees.

“If you see anything… call the RCMP as soon as you can,” she said.