Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 29976Animal cruelty · Co. Donegal

Gardaí investigate animal cruelty case in Ballyshannon

A five-year-old cat named Ramsay was shot more than a dozen times in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, with 17 metal pellets found inside its body. The owner noticed marks on the cat over recent months, and the last five wounds indicate the cruelty was ongoing over a period. The cat is now housebound and cannot be operated on as the pellets are deeply embedded. Gardaí in Ballyshannon are investigating the case, with the ISPCA also informed, and no arrests have been made.

  1. Reported23 Sep
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A five-year-old cat named Ramsay was shot more than a dozen times, with 17 metal pellets found inside its body.
  • The owner noticed marks on the cat over recent months, and the last five wounds indicate the cruelty was ongoing.
  • The cat is one of three from the same litter and is now housebound.
Where
The incident occurred in Ballyshannon, County Donegal.
Investigation
  • An X-ray and vet scans revealed the extent of the damage and the embedded pellets.
  • Gardaí in Ballyshannon are investigating the case, with the ISPCA also informed.
Other details
  • It is not possible to operate on the cat as the pellets are deeply embedded.
  • No arrests have been made.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA cat was shot more than a dozen times by thugs using it as target practice (irishmirror.ie)
  • what17 metal pellets were found inside the cat's body (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe cat is five years old and named Ramsay (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe owner noticed marks on the cat in recent months (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe last five wounds show the cruelty was ongoing over a period of months (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe cat is one of three from the same litter (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe cat is now housebound (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe incident occurred in Ballyshannon, County Donegal (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAn X-ray revealed the extent of the damage (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe owner took the cat to a vet for scans which found the pellets (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí in Ballyshannon were informed and are investigating (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe Garda Press Office confirmed they are looking into the case (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherIt is not possible to operate on the cat (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe pellets cannot be removed as they are deeply embedded (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Sep2021
    Reportedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Gardai investigate after cat shot more than a dozen times in 'senseless' attack

    First report of the incident; Gardaí in Ballyshannon investigating, ISPCA informed, no arrests made.

    victim, Ramsay, 5, maleRamsaysuspect