More than 70% of all cats brought into our nation’s animal pounds
and shelters are killed – feral, stray, and owned cats. Everyone
deplores this killing. Many characterize it as “necessary evil.”
Alley Cat Allies knows that there is nothing necessary about
this evil. Today’s animal control system developed over 100
years ago to address certain serious harms that dogs posed to
humans. It was, and is still today, based on ownership of animals.
Animal control laws attempt to control animals by controlling
their owners. They are a collection of owner duties to prevent
damage, for example, duties to leash, to muzzle, to fence, and
to vaccinate. Animals who do not have owners (the stray
population) or whose owners cannot comply must be impounded
and adopted or killed. This system is widespread and deeply
entrenched; it is written into all state and many local
government laws, and it commands government buildings,
equipment, and personnel, and government contracts, budgets,
and revenues. But in the past three decades, radical change has
taken place in the stray animal population. Cats, not dogs, now
comprise a vast majority of the stray population. Many, if not
most, of these cats are not socialized to humans because they
are offspring of a lost or abandoned owned animal. They are not
owned animals. Nevertheless, far too many animal organizations
ignore these changed demographics and insist that the historic
system based on owner liability continues to be a viable way to
control the stray animal population. They claim that the solution
lies in broadening existing laws to include cats, increasing
enforcement, imposing more fines—in short, doing more of the
same. And, in the interim, continue to accept that killing is a
necessary evil.
Alley Cat Allies is changing the fate of our nation’s cats by leading
massive campaigns to stop the killing of cats across the country.
CLICK HERE to Sign a petition to show that you want the killing
of feral cats to stop. You can be a part of this life-saving grassroots
movement!
Content Provided by Alley Cat Allies
If you follow this blog, you know about the little Siamese that was a hisser and then turned to mush after I pet her. Well, here she is. Look at those eyes. She is still very weary, but moving her into the library with everyone has been great for her. She doesn't hide ALL the time. I set a bed up for her in a nice spot where she could feel hidden. This is not that spot, but she is being really brave staying there each time I come in. I named her Chin Chin..I know funny, huh? Well, she has the fur of a chinchilla. Gosh if you have never felt Chinchilla...OMG. I have the luxury of being around fur coat companies when I am in the mountains and I tried one on. Like butter. I am not advocating the fur trade. I am just using it as an example. Anyway, Chin Chin is going to be our forever cat. My husband does not know, but I doubt she will ever adjust to anyone else. She is soooo soft though who could not want her. heehee.
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