Larry So sorry it has taken me awhile to address your problem with the feral feline population.
What we (Springfield Concerned Pet Owners) are pushing for right now is establishing a No-Kill system of animal rescue here in Springfield. For those of you that do not know what a No-Kill system is: all healthy, adoptable animals are adopted. This does not mean that nothing is killed. This means that the people in the system are responsible enough to determine what animals cannot be adopted due to behavior issues, health, and in some cases even age. It does mean to strive for a 95% adoption rate of all animals that hit the system. No-Kill also takes into account feral cat problems. And to tell you the truth, I did not know that one existed in Springfield. Too many feral cats are not just a nuisance to you but also can be a threat to themselves as cat diseases will travel through colonies and kill them out overnight, spreading to the domestic cat population. The solution for feral cats is to decrease the population to a manageable number and then to sterilize a percentage of them through capture and release, to maintain them. To relocate them as needed and capture and adopt kittens that are able to handle it. This is not an overnight solution and involves manpower, but can be done. We do not want to eliminate the feral cat population because then you become overrun with rodents (this is proving true in cities where they have gone in and killed the entire population of feral cats) which is worse. But on the other hand, you don't want so many that they overrun your yard. To establish the No-Kill system, we have to make sure that the city does not have any mandatory licensing, permits or spay/neuter (requirements to be eligible for grants). We will also have to repeal the Pit Bull ordinance and replace it with a responsible pet owner ordinance/dangerous dog ordinance. We also have to get the rescues and shelter in our area to cooperate and understand what the final goal is (and the more the merrier as long as all work together). We will be applying for grants to establish all of this. The key to its success is: cooperation among civil and government agencies with no governmental interference in the manner of laws. Chicago has one of the best No-Kill systems in play and have a 90-95% adoption rate. They are totally funded by grants. Now Bob Barker and HSUS (both say No-Kill does not work) are going in and demanding mandatory spay and neuter laws which will undermine their entire system. It is being fought tooth and nail. Nathan Winograd who established the concept of agencies working together and the No-Kill system, took a county shelter (the name escapes me at this time) that had a 99% kill rate and turned it around to a 99% adoption rate. For more information on all of this read his book: Redemption. It will open your eyes to the majority of these national organizations that collect money but never relay it back into any system. If you want to help animals, help them in your own backyard first. This is what we intend to do. We are already moving forward (as fast as the Holidays allowed) and will be pursuing educating the public and getting the cooperation of the rescues and shelters in this area. They may choose to join us or not, but it will behoove them to do so, but here again, there are certain things that they have to do to be able to do so. Cathy M Catren's Shar Pei Catren's Leather Show Accessories From: missourilibertycoalition@googlegroups.com [mailto:missourilibertycoalit...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of larmelt...@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 6:25 PM To: fbelli...@yahoo.com Cc: missourilibertycoalition@googlegroups.com; ronpaul...@meetup.com Subject: Re: Feline Problem Fred. O. No. I guess Ya didn't understand. I like my Ground Hog and all the critters that come around and dart off. I wonder if that Ground Hog gets sick and I don't treat it like a Family dog. If some crack pot from PETA or some other crack origination that I am not aware of might bring a law suite against me. That Ground Hog don't eat anything but clover from my yard and now and then it will eat the tops off my carrots. My fault !. Don't Get Rid Of My Ground Hog. Get Rid Of the IRS. Larry Fairtax Melton In a message dated 12/31/2008 8:43:23 AM Central Standard Time, fbelli...@yahoo.com writes: Larry, The Animal Control people at the Health Department will set traps for you if you call and request one. Or, you could get a BB gun and pop'em when you catch one in your yard. Fred _____ New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines <http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026> . --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ This is a Free Speech forum. The owner of this list assumes no responsibility for the intellectual or emotional maturity of its members. If you do not like what is being said here, filter it to trash, ignore it or leave. If you leave, learn how to do this for yourself. If you do not, you will be here forever. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
