Strangers Save Cat Shot With Crossbow in San Jose

When a friendly neighborhood cat nicknamed "Huerro" showed up with a crossbow bolt through his tail, strangers in San Jose dropped everything to save his life.

Ivory Flores' mother discovered Huerro on a Friday night in East San Jose but had no way to get him emergency care. She posted a plea on Nextdoor, hoping someone could help the injured stray.

Allison Fluty, a Sunnyvale resident, saw the post around midnight and didn't hesitate. She drove to pick up Huerro and rushed him to a veterinary hospital, where staff removed a six-inch crossbow bolt from the base of his tail.

Fluty paid the $1,600 vet bill upfront, figuring she'd find a way to cover it later. "I figured, like worst-case scenario, I have six months to pay it off without interest," she said.

But the story didn't end with one rescued cat. Fluty created a GoFundMe to cover Huerro's medical costs, and donations poured in beyond what she needed.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story extraordinary isn't just the late-night rescue. It's what Fluty did next with the extra funds.

She's using the donations to trap, neuter, and return stray cats in the neighborhood, many likely Huerro's siblings. By Wednesday, she'd already trapped 13 cats who will receive free spay and neuter surgeries at the San Jose Animal Care Center.

"I don't want there to be more victims of that kind of targeted violence against animals," Fluty explained. Her quick thinking turned one cat's tragedy into protection for an entire colony.

The Flores family found another crossbow bolt in their backyard days later, confirming the threat is real. But now, thanks to Fluty's efforts, fewer vulnerable cats will roam the streets.

Huerro is recovering with the Flores family and should be fully healed within two weeks. One midnight decision by a stranger gave him a second chance at the life every neighborhood cat deserves.