Feral cats should be contained, not released
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Editor,
The problem of feral cat overpopulation cannot be solved with trap, neuter, and release programs. TNR is a quick fix which takes into consideration only the feelings of the people pushing no kill, while ignoring all of the science based facts of the suffering to cats and wildlife, waste and decimation of our native wildlife, disease risks to humans, cats, and wildlife, and loss of property rights that TNR endorses.
Municipalities that embrace TNR are encouraging more dumping and abandonment. There are many peer reviewed scientific studies that show TNR programs do not have a significant impact on citywide populations of feral and stray cats, and none that show they do. TNR is a feral cat maintenance program, not a feral cat reduction program, and can cause cat populations to grow.
Not only does TNR not solve the population problem, it restricts property rights, threatens human health, destroys wildlife, and is cruel to the cats. Who will be liable for cats that destroy private property? The property owner or resident, not the city nor TNR participants. Feral and stray cats expose children to Toxoplasmosis — found only in cat feces — rabies, and other zoonotic diseases when they deposit packages of feces and stinking urine in yards, sandboxes, parks, around schools, near restaurants, and shopping centers.
A more sound system is TENVAC (trap-evaluate-neuter-vaccinate-adopt-contain), a professional, public/private partnership cat sanctuary method that protects human health, wildlife, property rights, and the cats. TENVAC acknowledges, respects, and addresses the concerns of all stakeholders. Everyone is treated equally and everyone gets an equal share of the pie. Cats are domestic animals that need responsible owners, not a system that encourages the dumping of a lethal domestic predator. Consider this: the free ranging feral dog problem was whipped by containment, not more laxity.
There are links on the following websites to hundreds of scientific studies, news articles, personal testimonies, and position papers that expose the troubles with TNR: www.TNRFactCheck.org/reference-library.html; www.ABCBirds.org; and www.TNRRealityCheck.com.
Lori Ogozalek
West Alexander, Pennsylvania
