A cat has died and others were injured in a spate of shootings in a residential street.
Residents of Acre Close, in Haywards Heath, are calling for police to take action following a series of shootings of pet cats.
The most recent of these incidents took place when 11-year-old cat Frank was shot in his back leg with an air gun.
Frank's owner Gemma Ritchie told GB News the damage was extensive, with the pellet entering his abdomen.
She said he was rushed to an emergency vet, requiring blood transfusions and major surgery at a cost of almost £5,000 after the shooting on New Year's Day.
Frank was adopted by Gemma just two months ago.
She said: "He came in with a really, really bad limp, and we found this wound on him.
"I panicked, I got straight onto the emergency vet, and that's where they discovered he had in fact been shot.
"It was horrible seeing this happen to him, it was heartbreaking."
The incident has left her feeling worried about whether Frank should be let out of the house in the future.
She added: "It could easily happen again, we really don't know what we're going to do about him."
Dan Neve, who lives two doors down from Gemma, had a similar experience with his pet cats.
Fred and Dusty were kittens bought as a surprise birthday present for his wife Donna, and their three children.
In October 2021, Fred required emergency veterinary treatment after he was shot in the leg at only six months old.
He survived, however Dan said that only three months later he was shot again, this time with the injuries proving fatal.
Dan told GB News: "Unfortunately, this time, the damage to his inside was way too much.
"He had to, unfortunately, be put down."
Dusty, Fred's sister, became the target of an attack when she was shot in the side in July 2022. Her injuries required emergency surgery. Dan and Donna had vet bills close to £10,000 due to the shootings.
Dan said to Ray Addison, GB News' South East England reporter that they are "so worried about future attacks" that they are keeping Dusty indoors while they explore options to move away from the area.
All of these incidents were said to have been reported to Sussex Police.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here