Thugs shoot family’s pet chihuahua Lola dead in their back garden while her ‘devastated’ owners were just metres away after they let her out to go to the toilet
- Lola the chihuahua was shot in the head in a back garden in Islington, London
- Suzanna Day and her children had returned from holiday when their pet was shot
- The dog had gone for a wee in the garden but was found in a pool of blood
A devastated young family has been left scared to go in their own garden after their pet dog was shot dead on their backdoorstep.
Lola the chihuahua was discovered in a pool of blood outside her home in Islington, London, after thugs took aim at her as she played outside, yesterday.
Suzanna Day, 30, had taken her children aged 11, nine and two, away on a family holiday as a treat and had only been at home for a matter of minutes when thugs struck.
Miss Day let the dog out for a wee in their garden but when she called her back in Lola was happy playing in the garden.
The mother-of-three walked upstairs to put away some cases but when she came back down she noticed Lola out of the corner of her eye.
Miss Day told MailOnline: ‘I saw her just lying there in a huge pool of blood.
‘I just screamed and then my children were screaming. She was still alive but she had this clump coming out of her head.
‘I thought an animal had got her – a cat or a fox – I never imagined she had been shot.’
Lola the chihuahua was just five-years-old when she was shot dead on her doorstep yesterday just moments after her owner let her out in the garden
Suzanna Day has had to explain to her children that thugs shot their dog after they witnessed the animal lying dead on the doorstep
Lola did not die instantly but had to be put down because of catastrophic injuries to her head
Lola the chihuahua was shot dead as she played in her back garden in the Islington area of London on Wednesday
Miss Day’s brother who lives just streets away ran round and took the dog to the vets where a pellet was found lodged inside her head.
Suzzanna reported the incident, which happened in the St Pauls Road area of Islington on Wednesday afternoon to police and the RSPCA.
But the family is now scared to go outside.
‘That could have been my daughter,’ Miss Day said.
‘The thought someone is aiming a gun into my garden where my children play – I’m just so frightened.
‘I was literally gone for seconds. What if one of my children had opened the door to let her in? If it went through a dog’s head they would not have stood a chance.’
Lola was still alive when she was taken in and had to be put to sleep by the vets because of the severity of her injuries.
The family had Lola since she was a puppy and yesterday Miss Day had to tell her children callous thugs had taken their pet’s life.
The pellet was found inside the dog’s head after she was shot on the doorstep of her home in Islington, London
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‘My daughter is devastated,’ she said.
‘I can’t believe this has happened. I thought we had moved to a lovely area.’
RSPCA animal welfare officer (AWO) Siobhan Trinnaman is now investigating. She said: ‘This is utterly heartbreaking for Lola and her family.
‘Little Lola was just sniffing and playing in her own garden where she should have been safe. For someone to have shot her in the head is absolutely despicable.
‘I’d like to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area on Wednesday afternoon to get in touch with the RSPCA or police,’ AWO Trinnaman said.
Earlier this year, the RSPCA launched a call for mandatory licensing of airguns in England & Wales. Britain’s biggest animal welfare charity made the recommendation as part of a submission to the UK Government’s current review of regulation of air weapons following serious incidents involving children.
Gracie Kenny-Day, Suzanna’s daughter, has been left devastated by the death of her beloved pet
A metal pellet was found lodged inside the tony dog’s head after she was rushed to the vets
Last year (2017), the charity received 661 calls reporting incidents of animals being targeted by people using air weapons – 37 of those from Greater London. And so far this year (January 1-June 30), the emergency hotline has received 321 calls – 12 of which came from Greater London.
AWO Trinnaman added: ‘We receive hundreds of calls every year about wild animals, birds and cats who are victims of these atrocious airgun attacks. Sadly, Lola is the latest victim of these lethal weapons.
‘Animals can suffer horrendous injuries and often die as a result of airgun attacks and these weapons are potentially extremely dangerous for people as well.
‘That’s why the RSPCA is calling for stricter controls over airguns as well as better education and explanation of the law for those buying one.’
If caught deliberately using an airgun to injure an animal you could face up to six months in prison and/or an unlimited fine if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act.
AWO Trinnaman has urged anyone with any information about what happened to contact police on 101 or the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
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