Protesters rally after Prineville pastor accused of shooting cat, owner says pet survived
KTVZ
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville pastor is facing community backlash after allegations surfaced that he shot a neighborhood cat and placed it in a church dumpster.
On Tuesday, posts in the “Prineville Information” Facebook group claimed a local pastor shot a cat late Monday night near Bailey Street.
The cat’s owner said they confronted the pastor after the incident. According to the posts, the pastor said the cat had gotten into a chicken coop, and the injured animal was later moved to a dumpster at the church.
A group of protesters showed up at the church with signs, condemning the alleged shooting.
“You can’t go shooting guns in city limits. You’re free to have guns, but, you know, you shouldn’t be going around shooting, you know, bullets can hit somebody or kids or whatever and just do the right thing, you know, like, hey, there’s other ways to get rid of a cat, you know, like scare it off,” said protestor, Matthew Bond.
KTVZ worked alongside the Prineville Review to investigate. We asked the pastor for comment, but he has not responded to either news organization.
The pastor did post on his Facebook page, saying he believed the cat was feral and had been attacking his family’s chickens. The post has since been deleted, but he expressed remorse over the event.
The Crook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they are actively investigating.
While deputies would not answer questions about the case, the sheriff’s office also posted on Facebook They urged the community to be cautious of claims made online and to be patient while the investigation continues.
The cat’s owner says the animal survived but may lose its eyes due to the injuries.