Randolph Iowa cats update

Iowa town ready to catch cats
Chicago Tribune Illinois
By MELANIE S. WELTE Associated Press Writer
1:53 PM CDT, March 21, 2008

DES MOINES, Iowa - After causing a stir with plans for a $5 bounty on wild cats, the tiny town of Randolph is ready for Plan B.

The City Council on Thursday signed an agreement with animal rescue groups on a catch, neuter and release program.

"We are full steam ahead," said Sherry Haftings of Feline Friendz, based in Omaha, Neb.

Mayor Vance Trively, who suggested the $5 bounty, said he's satisfied with the plan.

"I think we've got the problem solved. It will be good for the community as well as taking care of the cats," he said.

Haftings said her group hoped to start moving equipment to Randolph this weekend because they want cats to begin going to the vet next week.

She expected the program to take several weeks, if not months. Pet cats are also included.

"Everybody will get spayed and neutered," she said.

Haftings said some cats will return to town, while others will be put up for adoption.

Trively said farmers are interested, too.

"We've got guys who will take them. There's feedlots around here and other places that need cats because they have a mice and rat problem," he said.

Haftings estimated the cat count, including pets, strays and feral ones, at about 150.

"That could go up because we're in the middle of kitten season. Each day this is delayed, kittens are being born. We want to get in there next week and start surgery," Haftings said.

The City Council approved the $5 bounty after receiving numerous complaints about dozens of feral cats in the southwest Iowa town of 200 people. Under the initial policy, which went into effect March 1, stray cats without collars would be taken to a veterinarian, and if they weren't claimed, they'd be euthanized.

That caused an uproar. The city scratched the idea on March 13 and agreed to work with animal rescue groups on a catch, neuter and release program.

Haftings said the first stage targets female cats, preferably pregnant ones.

Pet cats are included for a reason, she said.

"If we only went in and spayed and neutered the stray and feral cats and did not include people's pets, the problem is going to reoccur because these pets are being allowed outside," she said. "We have to hit this from every angle."


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Best Friends March 21 updates are here:

Bye, bye bounty!
March 21, 2008 : 4:18 PM ET

Officials and Feral Advocates Rally for Randolph
March 21, 2008 : 7:16 PM

See original Feral Cat Blog! post of March 14:

Randolph Iowa cats
http://catsinthenews.blogspot.com/2008/03/randolph-iowa-cats.html

Tiger Ranch cats: help rescuers, no shooting

Animal Rescuers Ask For Help
WTAE The Pittsburgh Channel

POSTED: 10:17 am EDT March 16, 2008
UPDATED: 10:38 am EDT March 16, 2008


FRAZER TWP -- Humane agents who rescued nearly 600 cats from a animal sanctuary in Frazer Twp. Friday need help from the public.

They are asking for supplies to help care for the cats until homes can be found for them. They need rabbit carriers, medium-sized dog crates and newspapers. Cat crates are not needed, because they are too small for cats to live in comfortably.

People wishing donate can call 814-226-9192.


So far, more than 350 cats rescued from the Tiger Ranch Friday have been moved to the Humane Society in Clarion County.

A Clarification: Channel Four Action News reported at Noon Friday that guns were being used to euthanize some of the cats at the Tiger Ranch. The source for that information was an ASPCA veterinarian, who mistakenly believed that was happening after hearing gunshots at the ranch. A PSPCA spokeswoman said none of the cats was euthanized. She said the gunshots that were heard Friday were coming from a shooting range which is near Tiger Ranch.

Copyright 2008 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed


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Feral Cat Blog! Resources:


Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC)


The Association of Sanctuaries >> Accreditation, Expectations of Sanctuaries, Code of Ethics


Tiger Ranch so-called sanctuary: previous news articles March 13, 2008 to today
thanks to Google.News.com!

Randolph Iowa cats

March 15, 2008 Update

Yes, those working for the cats or closely following this story are aware that after the City agreed to accept the offers of help from animal groups and individuals, the Mayor has been reported as stating he still does not want the cats to remain in town.
Tiny Iowa Town Rescinds $5 Cat Bounty - March 15, 2008
Randolph repeals cat bounty, but trouble remains - March 15, 2008

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Original March 14, 2008 Post
Mayor Vance Trively of tiny Randolph Iowa offered a $5 bounty on cats effective March 1, 2008; any stray cats or dogs without collars or tags could be turned in and would be "put down." Around February 28, David Earlywine of the Randolph Community Network had posted online the mayor’s cat bounty and city contact information. As customary, he invited public comments which have poured in along with phone calls, e-mails and letters to the city.

On March 10, reporter Julie Hong from KPTM Channel 42 in Omaha Nebraska aired the story; they had been contacted by a southwest Iowa animal rescue. The news story was picked up by Associated Press, a media flurry ensued ( Mike Kilin’s article in the Des Moines Register expands about cat problems around Iowa) and public reaction continued. Fremont County Veterinary Clinic in Sidney (the closest vet,) falsely identified as the clinic who would euthanize cats, issued a statement that they would in fact spay/neuter cats for Trap-Neuter-Return in an agreement with Fry‘s Country Bargains, a no-kill shelter in Creston.

Local groups APE (Animal Protection and Education) of Paton Iowa, Panora Pets in Iowa, and Feline Friendz in Nebraska located in Omaha, early offered assistance with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and spay/neuter. TNR is the nonlethal management method for feral cats.

Beginning March 12 national groups Alley Cat Allies (ACA) in Bethesda Maryland, Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab Utah, and the HSUS Feral Cat Program in Washington DC issued statements and offered a variety of hands-on and financial support.

After the Randolph city meeting Thursday evening, March 13, the Mayor removed the bounty and the city council accepted the multiple offers of help. Participants will attend a special city meeting next Thursday, March 20. Please support these groups who are teaming together to help the cats and people of Randolph Iowa:

APE and Panora Pets, both in Iowa, Feline Friendz in Nebraska located in Omaha, and Alley Cat Allies, Best Friends Animal Society, and the HSUS Feral Cat Program.

The cat bounty debacle in Randolph Iowa simply reveals the plight of cats globally. Susan Greene of Wildrun has a thought-provoking blog post about Mayor Trively as the current 'face of animal control yesterday’ and our need to consider, then act.

The issues of both ‘owned’ and unowned cats must be addressed CONCURRENTLY in every community. Spay/neuter and contain or supervise owned cats; prevent lost and abandoned cats, reunite or rehome them; and trap-neuter-return-manage feral cats.

Deep appreciation to all who spoke for the cats (and dogs) and for humankind. Special thanks to David Earlywine of Randolph Community Network for a great job of providing information and outlet for public comment!

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feral cats IN the news TODAY!
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Feral Cat Blog! Purpose
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A prevention AND solution action for cities, counties, communities is to immediately implement or support comprehensive cat management programs that promote CONCURRENTLY:

* spay neuter, identification, and containment-as-possible for 'owned' cats and
* Trap-Neuter-RETURN-Manage (TNRM) for unowned cats
* covered dumpsters and garbage containers

See Cat Management in Communities for further information.

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Neuter/Spay Assistance and Information ~ Oregon, Washington, Nationwide