Do BB Guns Hurt Animals Or Are They Just "Deterrents"?

Many years ago, when I lived in South Africa, I used to argue with my brother, a very intelligent, smart engineer, about this. He would shoot at any stray cat who came into the yard. He said the pellet just "stung" and the cat would not come back.

It is amazing how many people believe this, or perhaps don't care if the cat does get hurt. Rich Stallcup of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory advised his readers to "try a BB or pellet gun. There is no need to shoot toward the head, a good sting on the rump seems memorable for most felines, and they seldom return."

The reason they "seldom return" may be because they are dead or severely injured.

The National Rifle Association says: " AIR GUNS ARE NOT TOYS! Improper handling due to carelessness or ignorance can cause injury or even death. "

In 1995, Newsweek reported that teenage boys had killed a girl with a BB gun. They also reported that a Chicago children's hospital had a number of injuries where the BB had penetrated the skull and the brain.

Another organization advocating the use of pellet guns for cats is the United States Armed Forces Pest Management section.

BB guns CAN inflict lethal wounds. Even if the animal does not drop down dead after being shot, the pellet can eventually cause infection and a slow, agonizing death.

Courtesy of Alley Cat Rescue