A FAMILY are pleading for help after being devastated by the brutal killing of their family pet.

Sebastian the goose, a rare breed called Sebastopol, was in his pen with his girlfriend Lucy at the time of his death.

The family, who live in Kirkby Thore, are now worried about the rest of the animals they have and are also worried about their own safety.

His owner, Amber Daniels, 30, was just going to check on the animals and feed the geese and chickens a treat when she made the grim discovery. Ms Daniels said: “I went outside to give them and the chickens a treat, and I saw him slumped on the ground with Lucy walking in circles around him, honking.

“I rushed over to him and there was no sign of an injury, but then when I picked him up, I noticed a hole under his left wing.”

A huge fan of the birds, Ms Daniels had wanted geese for a long time and was proud to have a pair that were life partners that had hatched together.

The expectant mum continued: “I took him inside to examine him further because I’ve seen animal attacks before and this was too clean to be an animal. There were no paw prints or anything.

“We took him to my father-in-law who was a butcher and a hunter who did an autopsy of sorts on him because I wanted to be sure before I started accusing someone of killing him.

“Sure enough, there was a straight path of a .22 from a rifle, not air rifle, through his heart and all other major organs. The entry wound was at his neck. So he was shot point-blank from above.”

Now fearing for the safety of her family, Ms Daniels said: “He was a lovely bird, he never honked and was terrified of most people.

“He would never have attacked anyone. He was shot in his own pen, on our land.

“We only moved here in October and we have two children, with a baby due at the end of March, as well as other animals.

“It’s made us feel very unsafe.”

Now offering a reward to anyone who can help catch the person or people who did this, Amber added: “We’re really sad, but really worried the rest of our animals are going to get shot.

“My eldest son found out at school that Sebastian had been shot and was crying for ages.

“We had told the boys that he was just poorly, but in me asking around, the truth made it back to him.

“We are offering a large reward for information in finding who did it for peace of mind.

“We just don’t understand why. He was a good bird.”

Sebastian was killed last Wednesday at Kirkby Thore Hall at about 2pm.

Cumbria police have been informed and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.