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May 15, 2026
After a cat was cruelly shot to death in Lincolnton, Georgia, on April 17, Alley Cat Allies is demanding arrests and criminal charges against Lincolnton Mayor Mike McCombs, the mayor’s wife, Lizzy Long, and the cat’s owner. The organization is also demanding the immediate removal of McCombs from office by the Lincolnton City Council.
According to a police report of the incident, Mayor McCombs personally requested that Lincolnton Police Officer Jason Shelton go to a local property to shoot a cat who belonged to the residents. In a face-to-face meeting with the mayor, Officer Shelton stated that he “couldn’t shoot the cat unless it was actively attacking someone.”
Mayor McCombs then instructed Officer Shelton to “go to the house and give the cat owner [his] gun and let him shoot the cat.” Officer Shelton refused, citing “incredible liability” for the city if he handed over his weapon to a civilian.
Officer Shelton subsequently went to the property and reiterated that he could not shoot the cat. However, Mayor McCombs arrived on the scene along with Long, who sought out and shot the cat with a shotgun.
Body camera footage shows that the cat did not die immediately and suffered significantly. In his report, Officer Shelton described that the cat “rolled around in pain, screaming, and finally died.”
Long’s actions violated multiple Georgia laws. Under GA. CODE ANN. § 16-12-4(b), “a person commits the offense of cruelty to animals when he or she: (1) causes physical pain, suffering, or death to an animal by any unjustifiable act or omission.” Aggravated cruelty to animals applies when a person “maliciously causes the death of an animal.” Additionally, Sec. 30-5 of the Lincolnton City Ordinance states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm…within the city, except by law enforcement officers in the line of duty.”
Mayor McCombs and the cat owner aided and abetted these actions by actively encouraging them.
Beyond the legal violations, the killing of this cat was unnecessary by every measure. Officer Shelton noted that while the owner alleged that the cat “attacked” him the day before the shooting, it was his professional opinion that the owner “fell on the cat and possibly hurt the animal, and the cat attacked him trying to get away.” When Officer Shelton arrived on the scene, the cat was hiding behind the garage, terrified and posing no threat. There was no need for lethal action, and every humane option was available.
Alley Cat Allies is urging the public to take action and seek justice at alleycat.org. Full body camera footage of the incident is available upon request.
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About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies believes every cat deserves to live out his or her life to the fullest.
Founded in 1990, Alley Cat Allies is the leading advocacy organization for cats with a mission to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of all cats and kittens. Together with our over 1.7 million supporters, we work toward a world where cats are valued, and every community has humane and effective programs and policies to defend them.
Through our fearless advocacy, humane care, education and outreach, and law and policy activism, we equip and mobilize citizens, advocates, grassroots groups, shelters, veterinary professionals, and elected officials across the United States and around the world to improve their communities for cats through nonlethal, evidence-based approaches.
Our website is www.alleycat.org. Charlene Pedrolie is the president and chief operating officer of Alley Cat Allies.