Animal Control Go Too Far
by Michael
This is an example where animal control have gone too far in controlling animals. It is really extreme and strictly speaking in this instance I would say that animal control are liable to pay compensation. In other words they could be sued.
The matter concerns animal control of West Ocean City, Worcester County, Maryland, United States and the residents of Waterview Drive.
The background scenario is completely normal. Some residents allow their cats to go out. They are indoor/outdoor cats. There are probably some time share cats, stray cats and perhaps feral cats in the area as well. This is the problem, animal control can’t differentiate between them. But legally some are “owned” by people and some are not. Therefore animal control must differentiate between these types of cats before taking action, which routinely leads down one path: to the death of the cat. If they don’t take proper steps to identify cats and owners they open themselves up to being sued.
In this instance one neighbour complained to animal control about cats under his house mating. He was worried about the consequences; more cats.
Animal control responded, it is alleged, by trapping cats in the area, unannounced. Apparently neither notices nor warnings were given. If that is true it is a very bad mistake.
People’s cat were trapped. And what do you think happens to a cat when he or she is trapped in a cage and put in a van. Yes, the cat gets upset and the man in the van is probably not that sensitive to a cat’s behaviour under these circumstances. He should be.
The cat might behave aggressively. This would be defensive behaviour brought on by animal control. Animal control then say that the cat was aggressive and euthanise the cat.
Obviously this is madness because it is animal control who made the cat aggressive in the first place. The cat is not inherently aggressive. In fact this particular cat was friendly but became aggressive back at the facility. That is not surprising is it? Where is the common sense? Where is the humanity and decency?
This cat was a black and grey cat whose human companion is Matt Odachowski. Matt is angry. Other cats have gone missing too.
I am not going to go and on about this. Common sense dictates that animal control did wrong. Incidentally, animal control also killed two cats because they say the cats had “open wounds and no collar”. There is no legally obligation on people to put a collar on a cat and perhaps the wounds were inflicted when they were trapped? Animal control are creating problems in this instance when their role is to solve them.
The neighbours are fighting too. The person who called animal control is being blamed for the killing. He was stupid. He should have knocked on doors and spoken to his neighbours. My experience of animal control is through reading articles on the internet. They are quite quick to kill animals, it seems to me.
In response animal control of Worcester County say that it is illegal to let your pet roam free. Are they saying that all cats must be full-time indoor cats in Worcester County? Is that true?
