Schoolboy's heartbroken letter to pet cat shot and killed in Fleetwood

Jack Bowker’s five year old feline, Boots, died on February 25 one day after returning to his Westhead Walk home ‘covered in blood’.

At first his family thought he had been hit by a car, but when they took him to the vet they were told his injuries were consistent with being held down and kicked. He suffered a broken nose, a broken cheek bone, a fractured eye socket, and he had been shot through the eye with an air gun.

Tragically, he did not survive.

In a heartbreaking letter to his beloved pet, Jack said: “To Boots, my cat, I will always miss you. I don’t know who killed you.

“Remember them times when we did bottle-flipping challenges and when you brought that bird in the house.

“Love from Jack B.”

The youngster drew a picture of himself crying, along with a picture of his cat.

He wrote: “I will always love you Boots. Shot and kicked and killed. Lots of love from Jack.”

His mum Sarah Louise Bowker said: “ I hope you’re reading this, who ever has done this, and hope if or when you have children they don’t suffer the heartbreak you have caused our little eight-year-old son.”

Local pet rescue groups Harvey’s Army and Homeward Bound are still looking for the person who robbed Boots of his life.

Anyone who has CCTV of the area taken on the night Boots was attacked has been asked to contact the charities online.

Harvey’s Army volunteer Joan Lamb said: “We are supporting the family in his difficult time and have printed 1,000 leaflets free of charge which have been put up.

“Jack is very distressed about what has happened.

“Harvey’s Army and the RSPCA are in agreement that there needs to be some restrictions on these airguns because they are a very dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. There was another cat shot with an air gun last week, and that didn’t die fortunately. It was in its rear leg so the pellet was anle to be removed.

“My opinion is that if the person who has done this is prepared to shoot an animal at close range like that, what else are they prepared to do? It’s a slippery slope to hurting a human being - this is how it starts. Who’s to say that the next victim won’t be a child? That person needs to be caught.”

Boots, who usually did not wander far from Westhead Walk, left his house at 10.30pm on February 24 and returned at 11.45pm.

The name of a potential suspect has been handed to police, however no arrests have been made.

Jack’s dad Phil, 37, said: “We think we know who has done it, but we can’t prove it. That’s what is so infuriating.

“Jack is very quiet and doesn’t like to talk about it, but he’s very upset. He wrote the note at school and my wife found it in his bag, so we know he must be thinking about it.

“The whole situation has been gutting. It’s such a shame for my lad and the family.

“Lots of people have been sharing our story and are fuming about it. It’s been horrible, but we haven’t given up yet.”

If you know who killed Boots, or if you think you can help track down who did, call police on 101 quoting the crime reference number LC -20210228-0626. Harvey’s Army and Homeward Bound can be found on Facebook.