A COUPLE are calling for the licensing of airguns in England and Wales after their ten-month-old kitten was shot with one.

Robert Miller and Katie Fowler, of Dallington Road, Hove, found their cat Jem limping and were “shocked and appalled” to learn she had an airgun pellet in her leg.

Jem had surgery to remove the pellet and is recovering but her owners are now urging a change to legislation.

Mr Miller, 34, said: “Anyone over 18 can walk into a shop and buy an airgun without any background checks or anything.

“I just think we need licensing and regulation, which already occurs in Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

Cats Protection is behind a campaign to have airgun laws reviewed, based on shocking statistics concerning pets injured by such weapons.

Madison Rogers, advocacy and government relations officer for the charity, said: “Cats Protection sadly hears of incidents of cats being shot with airguns all too often.

“In 2017 there were 164 cats reported as being shot with an airgun in the press and crucially 90 per cent of these attacks were in England and Wales.

“This is also likely to be an underestimate of the number of incidents as many attacks never get reported.

“Airgun attacks on cats not only cause terrible injuries or even death to the cats but also result in grief and anguish to the owners as well as fears in the community for the safety of pets and people.

“The charity is campaigning to make it illegal to own an airgun without a licence to prevent these lethal weapons falling into the wrong hands.”

Ms Fowler, 31, said: “I would just like there to be more accountability – they are weapons that can kill and maim so it shouldn’t be the case that almost anyone can get hold of one with no regulation.”

A consultation opened in January to enable members of the public to comment on the potential licensing of air weapons. It closed on February 6 – and no changes have yet been announced.

Cats Protection delivered a petition with 110,000 signatures to Downing Street calling for licensing of airguns in England and Wales.

Mike Byford, 57, chairman of Mile Oak Shooting Club, said: “I am not opposed to licensing airguns but I can’t see how anything will change.

“Bad people will still get hold of them, it will be the responsible people who bother to register their weapons and it will only put barriers in their way.

“To me it’s all about education – we teach safe use of airguns in a sporting way and in a safe environment.”