Cottage Grove family offers $1,500 for information on who fatally shot their beloved cat
COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. — A Cottage Grove family is seeking answers after finding their cat severely injured in a park earlier this month.
On the afternoon of Dec. 7, the Busch family learned their cat, Rusty, had been found near a pond in Woodridge Park, unable to move, according to the Cottage Grove Public Safety Board.
The family rushed Rusty to receive emergency care and discovered he had been shot with a pellet gun in the spine. He was paralyzed as a result. Ultimately, Rusty had to be euthanized.
"Toughest loss we've ever gone through up to this point," Mike Busch said.
Rusty was a unique cat, in that he enjoyed being social — quickly becoming the talk of the city.
"Rusty was so unique unlike any other we've had," Busch said. "He was more than just our family cat, he was Cottage Grove's cat."
Mike Busch says Rusty would often make his way to Woodridge Park — right behind their home.
"He would come over to this park every day because he loved the kids," Busch said. "Just seeing the joy on the kids' faces and how many questions they would have for us."
Community members left dozens of comments to show how much Rusty meant to them.
The Busch is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the discovery and arrest of who is responsible for shooting their beloved cat.
"It's very important that we catch this coward," Busch said. "Animal cruelty on any level is completely unacceptable. We want to prevent this from happening to another pet."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dan Schoen at 651-458-6058 or email him at dschoen@cottagegrovemn.gov.