Baby possum shot at Woy Woy prompts call for information

WILDLIFE rescuers are heartbroken after they were forced to put down a baby brushtail possum after it was shot with an air-rifle from a suburban street.

Wildlife ARC carer with young brushtail possum shot with air-rifle at Woy Woy.

WILDLIFE ARC rescuers have called for public help to find the person who shot a baby brushtail possum with an air-rifle at Woy Woy.

The young possum had to be put down after vets discovered it had been shot twice and one of the slugs had lodged near it’s spine. The slug had perforated the animal’s bowel before reaching the spine.

Wildlife ARC rescuer Andrew Crouch said vets at Petstock Vet Clinic at West Gosford felt there was a very high risk that trying to remove the slug would cause the animal to lose use of its legs and decided to euthanase it.

X-ray of a young brushtail possum shot with air-rifle at Woy Woy.

Mr Crouch said he had been called out to rescue the animal in Vidler Avenue on Wednesday by a member of the public. He said he had found the possum unable to move and passed it onto a Wildlife ARC carer.

“It was a young possum — too big for the pouch — at the age where they are still riding on the mother’s back,” Mr Crouch said.

“We thought it was a dog attack but when it didn’t improve condition overnight the carer took it to the vet and that’s when we discovered it had been shot,” he said.

Wildlife ARC Supervisor Andrew Crouch

“It’s very disappointing and depressing that people do this kind of thing.

“We do our best to protect and care for native Australian animals and get them to medical care when we can and eventually release them into the bush.

“It’s also very disturbing that someone is shooting a firearm in the middle of Woy Woy,” he said.

Mr Crouch said the slugs had been removed from the possum as evidence and handed to police with a full report.

Originally published as Baby possum shot at Woy Woy prompts call for information