Pigeon is put down after being shot with a crossbow bolt

A pigeon had to be put to sleep after being found impaled by a crossbow bolt in North London.

The RSPCA was called to the scene on Monday, August 28, after a householder found the animal on the road.

Chris McGreal, an RSPCA inspector described the attack on the small creature as 'a shocking act of cruelty', which was 'barbaric and deliberate'.

He added that 'poor bird' would have been 'in agony', as it was still alive during the vicious assault.

The lethal crossbow bolt, that pierced the creature's body, was 16 centimetres in length.

In comparison, the average length of a feral pigeon is only 33 centimetres.

Unfortunately after the bird was retrieved by the RSCPA, it had to be put down due to the brutal injuries incurred from the attack.

Deliberate crossbow attacks on animals have risen by 14% between 2021 and 2022, the animal charity reports.

And since 2020, there have been a 808 reports of animals being intentionally harmed by deadly weapons, according to the RSPCA.

34 of the incidents were related to crossbow attacks, while a whopping 658 were circumstances involving rifles and air guns.

Harm caused to animals by catapults and slingshots accounted for 124 reports.