Vespa is a happy cat now, but that wasn’t the case last week when police say Sean Stanford shot the feline twice in the face with a rifle.
Stanford owns the body shop where Vespa made friends with several of his employees.
For about three months, the cat came by. Those employees told police the owner didn't like the cat and threatened to kill it.
One employee said several weeks later Stanford came to the shop with a rifle and tried to make good on his promise.
“The real hero of this story brought him to us,” Dr. Kathryn Stutzman-Rodriguez said.
That hero is one of Stanford’s employees. He found the cat and took it to a vet.
Vespa eventually ended up at the Albuquerque Eastside Animal Shelter where employees called police.
Stanford's now charged with extreme cruelty to animals, a felony. He has yet to be taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Vespa is still being treated. He’s had two surgeries and will require at least one more.
Despite all of the trauma, Vespa is still a happy cat and will be eligible for adoption in two weeks.