RE: OT:Tonya - killing ferals

[MacKenzie, Kerry N.]

Title: Message

I agree with Nina. I think it's conflicting and difficult enough to make a decision to euthanize when an animal is terminally ill and suffering---one is torn between desperately not wanting the animal in our care to suffer any more, and making this momentous and irreversible decision on the part of another living and helpless creature. So, we have absolutely no business taking the perfectly content lives of animals into our own hands because of what may happen to them in the future.  Re PETA, I am very disappointed in that organization--it seems to have become confused in its old age. PETA will not be getting $$$ from me. Kerry -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 11:59 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT:Tonya - killing ferals Tonya, I can't believe you would advocate killing ferals as a way to help their plight!  Yes, their life is dangerous and they do sometimes suffer, but that doesn't mean they should be put to death.  We humans are so conditioned to our relative safety that we sometimes forget how hard life can be on wild animals, on all wild animals.  How many opossums, racoons and squirrels are killed each day on our highways, or poisoned from insecticides?  Would you advocate systematically terminating any species not under our direct protection?  I maintain a small feral colony and have cats that are healthy, happy and content in their circumstances.  Even if all we can do is trap, neuter, administer one round of vaccines, and release them, they are still better off than if we turn our backs on them all together.  Cats that are neutered are much less likely to fight and spread disease among themselves, if they are lucky enough to have a caretaker put out food for them they will live in harmony.  They can and do, live, full, rich, happy lives.  How arrogant it is to assume that only when they are in our houses and under our direct care are they able to be happy to be alive.  Humans are the direct cause of these cats circumstances, the least we can do is step up and accept the responsibility of helping to maintain their numbers.  Believe me, I understand the discomfort of thinking about these cats suffering and dieing out there alone, but killing them before their time is not the answer. Nina catatonya wrote: Unless you can find a VERY safe place for the ferals and be sure there's someone to take care of them, I tend to agree with PETA.  Even if the ferals have someone 'watching out' for them, I'm sure many of them are killed by dogs, hit by cars, shot, etc.... I think it's a very rough life for most ferals and in many cases it would have been better to put them to sleep.  I see their point of view.   t [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I can not believe PETA!!!!!!!  They used to be known as the most radical animal rights group around (at the time that I did belong to them).  This is welfarism at its very, very worst.  How can a group that says it is an animal rights group advocate catching and killing animals? Isn't the right to live out your life without being killed the most basic of rights? Without that right, what good is any other? They are insane.  I stopped contributing to them years ago based on other stances they took that I thought were crazy, but their position on ferals tops the cake. Michelle This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.