The owner of two rare breeds shot on a village smallholding has branded the attacks “animal cruelty at its worst”.

Chris Ottaway has lost a rare bird and an animal in separate attacks over the past five months after they were shot in the leg with what is thought to have been a rifle. Both had to be put down.

Mr Ottaway, who started breeding rare species a year ago, said: “I can’t understand why anybody would be so cruel, there is no reason for it.

“The animals don’t make any noise, they are not intrusive.”

He said: “I am so angry and so upset — I don’t know why somebody would purposely want to harm any animal.

“It’s animal cruelty at its worst.”

The 25-year-old, who has a smallholding at Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, discovered his rare white rhea — a large bird similar to an ostrich — collapsed in the field it shares with its female mate on Friday morning. He said: “I went down there to feed them and every other morning they are up at the gate demanding food.

“But the female was running about at the end, not quite knowing what to do, and the male was in a heap at the end of the field.”

Mr Ottaway bought the pair of rheas just two weeks ago for £300 each.

He added: “Rheas live in pairs and small groups but now I have a lone female who is pining.”

In June, one of his three patagonian cavies — a rodent the size of a hare whose closest relative is the guinea pig — was also shot in the leg.The cavy, called Bigwig, had been part of Mr Ottaway’s menagerie of turkeys, peacocks, pigs and guinea pigs for the past year.

He said: “Bigwig was the only one I named as she was my favourite and was the most distinguishable. You get so attached to them.”

The smallholder, of Cumnor Road, Wootton, had intended to breed from Bigwig but will now have to spend £200 to replace her.

Mr Ottaway, who owns pet shop Python’s Lair Exotic Pets in Drayton, near Abingdon, has reported both incidents to the police.

He plans to camp in one of the barns on his smallholding to deter further attacks.

Police spokesman Claire Gourlay confirmed the attack on the rhea had been reported and urged anyone with any information to call 08458 505505.

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