Cat Shot With Crossbow Saved by California Neighbors

A stray cat named Huerro is healing today after a stranger drove him to an emergency vet at midnight and paid his $1,600 surgery bill without hesitation.

The cat was found Friday night in San Jose by a local woman who spotted the 6-inch crossbow bolt piercing through the base of his tail. She posted on Nextdoor asking for help getting Huerro to a vet since she didn't have a car.

Sunnyvale resident Allison Fluty saw the post around midnight and immediately drove to pick up the injured cat. She rushed him to a veterinary hospital where staff surgically removed the bolt.

When the $1,600 bill came, Fluty didn't hesitate to cover it. "I figured, like worst-case scenario, I have six months to pay it off without interest," she said.

But Fluty didn't stop at saving one cat. She created a GoFundMe to cover Huerro's care and launched a mission to protect other vulnerable cats in the neighborhood through trap, neuter, and return programs.

By Wednesday, she had already trapped 13 cats in East San Jose. "I don't want there to be more victims of that kind of targeted violence against animals," Fluty explained.

The timing proved critical when the Flores family, who originally found Huerro, discovered another crossbow bolt in their backyard Wednesday morning. The discovery confirmed that multiple cats in the area were at risk.

The Ripple Effect

What started as one emergency rescue has transformed into a community safety net for dozens of cats. The trapped cats are receiving spay and neuter surgeries at the San Jose Animal Care Center and local clinics, preventing future generations from facing similar dangers.

The Flores family has taken Huerro into their care while he recovers. Vets expect him to fully heal within two weeks.

Fluty's fundraiser has attracted donations from people across the community who want to help protect neighborhood cats. The money will continue funding medical care and prevention programs long after Huerro's recovery.

One act of midnight kindness has created lasting protection for an entire community of vulnerable animals.