England and Wales are now the only UK nations where anyone aged over 18 can buy, own, and use an air gun without any licence. Sadly, cats and wildlife are frequently the victims of horrific air gun attacks, often sustaining life-changing or fatal injuries.
Table of contents
What is an air gun?
BB and pellet guns are types of air gun. An air gun is a weapon with a barrel through which a projectile is discharged using compressed air or carbon dioxide. This contrasts with a firearm, which uses combustible propellants to create the energy needed to fire.
Air guns are used legally for pest control, small game hunting and recreational shooting. However, they are often used irresponsibly, causing harm to people, pets, wildlife, and even horses.
Is it easy to get an air gun?
The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 2015 and received the Royal Assent in August 2015. Under the provisions of the Act, it is an offence for a person to use, possess, purchase, or acquire an air weapon in Scotland without holding an air weapon certificate.
These laws do not apply in England and Wales. In these devolved nations, air guns are readily available for purchase by adults both online and in shops. There is no need to get a licence or permit if you want one. There are no restrictions on ownership unless you are under 18 or have been to prison.
What harm do air guns cause?
Air guns are potentially lethal weapons. While they don’t fire bullets, they do fire metal projectiles at high velocity. If that projectile hits a sensitive area on the body, such as the eye or neck, it can cause serious injury or even death.
Some examples of recent air gun-related injuries on people include:
- The tragic death of Ben Wragge, 13, who was accidentally shot in the neck by a friend with an air rifle in Suffolk in 2016.
- Two months after Ben’s death, 18-month-old Harry Studley was left with brain damage and limited vision after being shot by a his dad’s friend in Bristol.
- In April 2017, schoolboy Kyle Johnson was left with a severe head injury after being shot by a neighbour in Sunderland.
It’s not known how many cats and other animals are shot, injured or killed by air guns each year. A 2016 survey of 1000 vets revealed almost half of the vets questioned (44%) had treated cats which had been the victim of attacks by air-powered weapons in the previous year; with nearly half of these shootings proving fatal (46%).
Cats Protection have been monitoring press reports over the last five years. And they have found that over 550 cats in the UK were reported in the press as being shot with an air gun. With no official data available, this figure is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Between the beginning of 2020 and May 2023, the RSPCA received 658 reports of air gun attacks on animals. In 2017, they reported that an average of six cats a week were being shot, injured, or killed by air weapons. The UK’s under-threat wildlife also bears the brunt of the attacks, with victims including waterfowl and marine birds.
How can we ensure air guns are used responsibly?
Cats Protection say that since modern air gun laws have been introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland, over 90% of reported air gun attacks on cats are now restricted to England and Wales. It would seem air gun licensing is effective.
Cats Protection are calling on the government to bring England and Wales in line with the rest of the UK and introduce licensing of air guns. The charity has a petition on the issue of air gun licensing, which you can sign here. They would also be keen to hear from you if your cat has been injured in an air gun attack over the last six months. You can send any details to campaigns@cats.org.uk. The information you provide will be used to help Cats Protection gather evidence about the scale of these attacks. And to continue to raise the issue with politicians across the UK.
Discussion