Sarasota man found guilty of animal cruelty for shooting neighbor’s cat

SARASOTA, Fla. ( WWSB ) - A Sarasota man who shot a neighbor’s cat with a pellet gun was found guilty Friday of aggravated animal cruelty.

George Boyd, 63, was sentenced to 15 days in jail, followed by three years of probation.

Boyd shot the cat on Nov. 15, 2024, which he claimed was damaging the interiors of boats at his business, Lucky’s Boat Storage, in the 1600 block of 11th Street.

Previous coverage: Sarasota man charged with killing cat with pellet gun

Police say Boyd told them he had contacted Animal Services multiple times to complain about stray cats causing damage. Boyd admitted to shooting a black male cat with a pellet rifle, a probable cause affidavit said.

The cat ran into the street and died. Officers found the cat in the street with a wound to its head, the affidav