HSOY and Owner Offer $4,000 Reward After Cat Shot; Police Seek Tips

A beloved Yuma cat named Midget was found with severe facial injuries and later euthanized after a veterinarian determined the animal had been shot in the face. The owner and the Humane Society of Yuma have combined to offer a $4,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person responsible, and the Yuma Police Department is asking residents to come forward with tips.

Animal control responded after the owner reported the injured cat returned to a home in the Sunset Court area, near Sunset Court and Windsor Avenue, on Jan. 22, according to local reporting. The vet exam confirmed the cat had been shot and the injuries required humane euthanasia. The cat was known as Midget and was originally named Bear; Midget had been rescued after suffering burns and was nursed back to health by the Humane Society of Yuma before being adopted.

Owner Ken Darby, who is offering $2,000 toward the reward, expressed grief and anger in brief remarks to local media. "He had more courage in his little body, than the coward that shot him!" Darby said. HSOY matched the owner’s $2,000 offer to bring the total reward to $4,000. Annette Lagunas, executive director of the Humane Society of Yuma, said in a written statement that the organization understands frustrations with community cats but called the shooting "cruel, gross and against the law."

The Yuma Police Department is handling the investigation and asks anyone with information to call (928) 783-4421 or 78-CRIME; anonymous tips are accepted. No suspect has been publicly identified in the reporting so far, and no charges have been announced. Local officials and animal advocates say tips from neighbors often prove decisive in similar investigations.

The incident follows a separate animal cruelty case reported Sept. 14, 2025, when an officer found a dead cat under a vehicle with an arrow lodged in its body in the area of Arizona Avenue. Authorities have not linked the two incidents and investigators have not suggested a pattern is confirmed locally.

Similar reward-driven appeals have become more common elsewhere, as nonprofit groups and owners seek to spur leads and encourage prosecutions. In California, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy offered $2,500 in a case where a community cat named Celebi was repeatedly shot; Wayne Pacelle of those organizations said, "This act of malice toward a defenseless animal should not be ignored or excused ... We encourage anyone with information to contact authorities and we provide cash rewards if that information leads to an arrest." In San Antonio, Alley Cat Allies offered $10,000 in a separate case involving a cat named Smokey; the organization said stronger penalties and prosecutorial support are needed to deter repeat offenders.

For Yuma County, the combined $4,000 reward signals both community outrage and a pragmatic investment in solving the crime. The payout represents direct costs local advocates are willing to shoulder to secure tips and possible prosecution, while veterinary and shelter systems absorb the immediate care and final costs when injured animals cannot be saved. Residents who may have seen suspicious activity near Sunset Court and Windsor Avenue on or around Jan. 22 are urged to contact Yuma police; tips could lead to charges and reduce the risk to other neighborhood pets.