Sunday, July 24, 2005

Editorial: Much work remains on animal problem
San Antonio Express (subscription), TX
... their pets. This requires education on pet ownership, both for children and adults, as well as aggressive spay and neuter programs. ... [Excerpt]
More humane killing of stray animals is one step. Dramatically lowering their number must remain the real goal.

[Thanks to Jasmin for sharing this article and appreciation to Columnist Judy Hill for ongoing coverage of animal issues!]
Project Lotto Needs Jackpot To Open Clinic
Tampa Tribune, FL
[Excerpt]
So it was no surprise that when talking about Lotto, a Siamese-mix feral cat, the usually reserved Talman, who owns Talman Tank & Equipment Co., choked up.
His love turned into a mission after Lotto was killed by a roaming dog.
Talman is providing seed money for a new spay and neuter clinic run by the Animal Coalition of Tampa that will provide low-cost sterilization to the animals of low- and moderate-income families and to often cash-strapped rescue groups in Hillsborough and surrounding counties.
(For more information about ACT, go to www.actampa.com. Or call (813) 818-9381.)
Project Lotto will affect untold numbers of animals in Hillsborough County.
[Excerpt]
Linda Rollison Hamilton, president of ACT, speculates that it was fate that Talman was introduced to the animal coalition at an adoption expo sponsored by No More Homeless Pets.

My view: Neuter Scooter veterinarian travels far and wide for cats
Gary Post Tribune - Gary,IN,USA
,.. color.". There are a few, however, whose cages will see no close-up nose. Feral cats make up part of the crowd. Doreen Faldzinski ...
[Excerpt]
Consider Tess Peady, a Bloomington-based veterinarian.
On Monday, she spayed or neutered more than 120 cats at the Lake County Animal Shelter for Neuter Scooter, a traveling veterinary service that comes to Crown Point about once a month.

Jim Lee column: The furor is gone; feral cats remain
Green Bay Press Gazette - Green Bay,WI,USA
When the Wisconsin Conservation Congress opted to put a question on the status of feral cats before voters at the state's annual spring hearings, which are ...
[Excerpt]
A University of Wisconsin study in the late 1980s concluded that thousands of feral cats are on the loose in rural and suburban Wisconsin, killing millions of songbirds, game birds, rabbits and other small mammals annually.
[Feral Cat Blog! Note: Again with "the Wisconsin study." Dear Reporters and all -- please read the following articles about predation studies.
[Excerpt]
But one fact remains.
Feral cats are an environmental problem for Wisconsin.
Thus backlash over the Congress’ question should be used positively, to spur a call for action.
“This is not a hunters’ issue, but an issue of being a responsible pet owner,” maintains Steve Oestreicher, chairman of the Conservation Congress.
The Congress opted not to pursue action on the advisory question, despite the fact it was approved in 51 of 71 counties by a vote of 6,830 to 5,201.
[Feral Cat Blog! Note: Perhaps 0.2% of the state turned out to vote.]
However, the Congress is urging that domestic cats be spayed or neutered, licensed, wear an identification tag and be kept indoors.
Feral cats should not be fed unless a permanent indoor home is being provided, Oestreicher said. Unwanted cats should be taken to an animal shelter, while feral cats should be reported to local animal control officers.
Perhaps the most important action cat owners can do is add their support to control efforts designed to prevent a supply of domestic cats from continually entering the feral cat pipeline.
By pinching off the source, the feral cat issue could pass away painlessly.

Council: PB Cats deserves $50,000
Palm Beach Daily News - Palm Beach,FL,USA
[Excerpt]
"I strongly supported it because of the great job Beth Pouncey is doing," Brooks said of the Palm Beacher who serves as the group's executive director. "We haven't had a complaint since Beth took over."
Prior to the incorporation of PB Cats, the issue of feral cats had reached crisis level with conflicts among neighbors, reported acts of vandalism and legal action against Catherine Bradley, who had spearheaded the first organized effort to feed and manage the ever-burgeoning cat population.

Watching out for rabies ...
Bristol Herald Courier - Bristol,TN,USA
... region. Feral cats and dogs are more likely to come into contact with wild animals and acquire the virus. Don't allow pets to roam. ...

'Fox lady' defends her furry friend
Cape Cod Times, MA
... Ludtke, who keeps four cats and feeds a semi-feral stray named Isaac - who is vaccinated, along with Kitkat, Fluffer, Puck, and Mr. Sunshine, she said - admits ...

Cats and Dogs United Together to Support Their Own
Yahoo News (press release)
... Smaller pet rescue organizations place nearly a half a million dogs and cats in homes each year, and represent nearly 45 percent of all pet adoption groups. ...
[Excerpt]
[Pro Plan Rally to Rescue campaign]
The campaign will supply up to 200,000 sets of the collars and wristbands to pet rescue organizations nationwide to distribute in support of their rescue efforts. Each organization is encouraged to request a donation of $5 per set. In addition to being sold by local organizations, the collar and wristband sets also will be available online at http://www.rallytorescue.org/info for anyone to purchase. Net proceeds from on-line sales and all proceeds from the sale of collars and wristbands by rescue organizations will benefit participating organizations, with a campaign goal to raise more than $1 million.