feral cats: March 2010 Archives
That's what Rhode Island's top veterinarian is saying as reported today in the Providence Journal:
"I'm not a cat hater. I'm a vet. I'm a cat lover," said state veterinarian Scott Marshall. "I just don't see another solution to it. The solutions we have tried are ineffective.
Marshall says feral cats are a health risk to humans and other animals because of the diseases they potentially spread, including parasites, feline HIV and rabies, which has been detected in a few cats in the past few years. He has proposed requiring animal-control officers to impound 'roaming and feral cats' and mandating that animal shelters accept them and put them to death.
Dennis Tabella, director of Defenders of Animals, calls the idea 'inhumane and outrageous' and says that 'no cat, domestic or feral, that spends time outdoors will be safe. If this becomes law, your neighbor will be able to take your cat and turn it over to a shelter, where your cat is likely to be euthanized.'"
Marshall goes on to say that he doubts laws requiring that cats be spayed or netuered are working.
One outraged animal-rights advocate called it the "Final Solution" for feral felines, according to the article written by Journal staff writer Richard Salit.
So what do you think? Has Trap-Neuter-Return/Release worked? How can it be made more effective?
About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.