Squirrel dart incident sparks concerns among neighbors

SAN ANTONIO – A squirrel that was shot with a blow dart is a disturbing sight for one Alamo Heights woman who feeds squirrels in her backyard.

“It freaked me out, I couldn’t believe it, it just kills me. I feel it, I feel it in me, it’s just horrible,” Sarah Reveley said.

Reveley said she saw a squirrel, who she named Cedric, with a dart lodged in its neck on Aug. 25 and on Sept. 1.

“I look out, and Cedric is up there eating corn, and I couldn’t believe it,” Reveley said.

After failed attempts to catch and help the squirrel, Reveley fears Cedric has since died.

“What do you say to the people who go, ‘It’s just a squirrel?’” asked KSAT 12 News reporter John Paul Barajas

“Sure, it’s just a squirrel. But what if it was your dog, what if it was your grandchild, what if it was you?,” Reveley said.

She fears for the what if. What if the dart missed, what if the shooter does it again, which is why she is offering a $500 reward to assist Alamo Heights Police and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“What squares me is whoever did that lives around here somewhere. It could be one of my neighbors,” Reveley said.

Texas Parks and Wildlife sent KSAT a statement regarding the incident:

A blow dart is not considered legal means and methods for hunting game animals, which a squirrel like the one pictured is considered. The penalty for this is a class C misdemeanor. Anyone hunting a game animal must also have a valid Texas hunting license. These regulations and more can be found in the Texas Outdoor Annual.

A Class C misdemeanor is punishable with a fine ranging from $25-500.