Cruelty/Wildlife (49)

A Golden Eagle from the only breeding pair in the Scottish Borders has been found poisoned.

A joint investigation by Lothian and Borders Police, RSPB Scotland, the Scottish SPCA and the Scottish Executive searched land and property, and discovered some poisoned bait on a grouse moor in the Borders.

A member of the public has come forward offering a reward for information to find the offender who shot a cat in Beanhill, Milton Keynes last week.

The member of the public is offering a £500 reward to anyone who comes forward with any information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the offender.

Margaret Roberts from Chervil, Beanhill, reported the incident to the police on Tuesday 21 October after vet's confirmed that Lukie had been shot with what appears to be an air weapon at close range.

A young girl’s pet rabbit has been found decapitated with its heart torn out, the RSPCA said today.

The remains of the white and grey dwarf were discovered by the girl’s horrified mother at her home in Pentwyn, Cardiff.

A vet who examined the rabbit’s body believes someone killed the rabbit by hand - ripping off its head before taking out its heart.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “In his opinion, the heart had been removed with considerable skill and must have been the work of a person [not an animal].”

The reward for information to catch the killer of a pet tortoise now stands at £700. Last week, an angry reader offered £100 for information after being sickened to read of Fred the tortoise’s killing.

Following this, Paul Newton, of Minster, offered another £100 to go with a £500 reward being offered by the Island branch of the RSPCA. He said: "I find it absolutely disgraceful that someone could have tortured a defenceless little animal and then discard him – it’s outrageous that such cruelty could happen."

Grampian Police are appealing for information in relation to poisoned baits being found on Sluie Estate near Banchory. The baits including two rabbits and one pigeon were found in woodland on the estate on 2nd May 2008 along with two dead Buzzards.

Strathclyde Police is appealing for information after a number of animals were killed by poisonous bait in Galston, Ayrshire. Numerous animals including rabbits, pigeons, buzzards and stoats were found dead in and around woodland near to Monks Road, Galston in April earlier this year. Following post mortems on the dead animals and enquiries since carried out by police, it has been established that an illegal pesticide called Carbofuran has been put down, which has subsequently caused the deaths.

Police investigating the shooting of 10 sheep and lambs at a remote spot near the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border are calling on local residents and weekend visitors to try and re-call seeing, or hearing, anything suspicious.

Three sheep died on land off Swinley Lane, Corse Lawn, between 1800 hours on 13th June and 1500 hours on 15th June. Seven were either killed outright, or had to be put down, in the second incident in the 15-acre field, between 1515 hours and 2000 hours on 16th June.

Tayside Police is appealing for information after two oyster catchers were found shot dead in the Perth area.

An adult bird was found dead on the morning of Monday, June 2. It was discovered lying on a grassy area between the road and buildings in Bertha Park View - a cul-de-sac in Inveralmond Industrial Estate. It was one of several pairs of oyster catchers that had been nesting in the area. Investigations established that the bird had been shot and a subsequent x-ray revealed that the pellet had gone right through the bird.

Police in Peterlee are appealing for information after a pair of Australian Black Swans were stolen. The birds were stolen from a farm in Wingate overnight on Tuesday 3rd June after an intruder entered the garden where they were kept.

The swans are three years old and very distinctive being black in coulour with a red bill unlike the more usual white swans seen throughout the country.

Police are appealing for information after a horse was found abandoned in Kidderminster. The horse was in such a poor condition that it had to be put down. It was found wandering on Habberley Road, near the entrance to Habberley Valley at about 6.40am on Tuesday 3rd June.

Grampian Police Wildlife Crime Unit are reminding members of the public about the protected status of the freshwater mussel on the River Spey due to the low water levels.

Local Dufftown Community Officer Constable Doug Darling said "With the low water levels at present some areas may become exposed and accessible and we would remind members of the public who use the many walking paths, fishing beats and the river itself that these rare mussel's are fully protected and are no longer permitted to be fished or their habitat disturbed."

Cruel and illegal badger digging has risen in the Alford area according to Lincolnshire Police's wildlife crime officer PC Nigel Lound.

There have been a number of reports of people digging up badger setts and PC Lound is appealing for local people to help fight the crime.

Tandridge rural affairs officer, PC Nick Shrapel, is appealing for information after a horse received burn injuries in Godstone on Sunday.

The incident happened sometime between 1.30am and 9am on 1 June when a horse received what appear to be several cigarette burns, around its right eye.

A cat was treated for a shattered eyeball after being shot with a pellet gun.

Oscar had been let out for the night from an address on Fern Close, Atherton, at around 11.30pm on Monday 19 May 2008. The cat returned at around 7.30am the following day when the injury was discovered by the pet's owner.

Oscar had been shot in the eye and was treated by a vet.

Police Constable Leah Hart of Atherton police station said:

Lincolnshire Police is investigating the disappearance of the only Raven’s nest in the county.

The nest was situated in Belton Park, near Grantham, which is owned by the National Trust. The nest was first discovered four years ago and was the first confirmed breeding in the county for over 300 years.