Update May 29, 2017 petition to save the cats here.
The following is taking place in Mauldin, South Carolina where a colony of feral cats, many of whom have undergone TNR, is in danger of being trapped and “disposed of.” Unfortunately, Mauldin doesn’t have a TNR program currently in place.
I’m cheating a bit on this article since there is a lot of information that needs to be circulated in the Upstate area. The following was posted on cat advocate Andrea Durham’s Facebook page after it was learned a professional trapping company will be brought in to remove the cats.
“ATTN ALL UPSTATE RESCUERS: Tonight, myself, my neighbors, and several rescuers from our community attended a meeting as concerned animal advocates about a cat colony in the Laurel Heights neighborhood in Mauldin, SC. The property manager, who works for NHE Property Management, yelled and kicked our rescue partners out of the meeting before the meeting even began. The neighbors who were allowed to stay tried to offer solutions and help create a community TNR program to save this colony’s life. The HOA board and the property manager could not be swayed to change their mind and create a larger sense of community by saving these cats. Instead they gave a concession of a three week deadline to remove the cats before the trapper is brought in. The HOA board of Laurel Heights has hired Chappell Services to come trap and “dispose” of the colony even if these cats have already been TNR’d. The HOA board has given concerned neighbors a deadline of June 14, 2017, to figure out where to take/put these cats before the trapper begins trapping and disposing of these cats. The HOA board claims they have spoken to Greenville County Animal Care and have told Greenville County Animal Care that they do not want these cats re-released anywhere near the neighborhood again. At one count there were at least 17 cats. Due to the deadline quickly approaching within three weeks, June 14th, we need help NOW sharing and saving these cats’ lives!”
Bill Burton with Concerned Citizens has TNR’d a large number of the cats. Greenville County Animal Care is not going to want to deal with this situation. Their idea of TNR is to return cats to the area they were caught once all have been TNR’d. Since the property manager doesn’t want the cats returned, this means either the shelter would have to release them elsewhere, kill them (which would impact their live-release numbers) or the trapper would simply make the cats “disappear.”
It’s reported the trapper will be watched but trapping in itself isn’t against the law. Unless the trapper does something to harm the cats, he’s just doing the job he’s been hired to do.
Citizens are allowed to trap and return the cats to their colony and maintain the colony. For a trapper or anyone else to kill the cats would be considered animal cruelty. Mauldin, however, doesn’t have a TNR program in place. Any concerns should be directed to Mauldin City Animal Control. Their link is here.
Another suggestion, as a last resort, is to look for ‘barn cat homes’ in the Upstate area. It would be preferable for the cats to go in pairs so they’d have a buddy. Barn cats are invaluable, especially during the summer months when rodents move in to eat grains and crops.
Take a good look at the photos. These cats are healthy and it’s easy to see they’re comfortable in their community. Let’s do everything in our power they don’t lose their home.
Please join the Facebook thread if you have any thoughts or ideas. Also, share this article with friends, especially those who live in this area. Most of the residents of Laurel Heights are clueless this is happening.
Elisa
Thank you Mr Kim for your valued comments. It provides some insight into what is going on and the thinking behind this proposed policy.
I have lived in this community since 2000, probably longer than anyone. I have been on the HOA board several times and know how they operate. This group on this board have probably heard complaints about the cats, which is a long standing topic of discussion here. They are sick and tired of hearing
complaints and feel the only way to solve the problem is to once again try and “remove” the cats. This is a move to take the easy way out of doing the job they are paid to do. They are taking the easiest way out, pay to kill the cats rather than try to work around this issue with the proven method of TNR. They will simply do as they please an “remove” the “problem.” Over the years we have tried “disposing” of cats the way the board is once again tring to do. It did not work then and it will not work again. The difference this time from when I was on the board there is now NO one to speak for the cats. This board is operating in the shadows of the board room with resources to back up their agenda. What do we have? Our love of animals is not enough. The problem is this board and NHE Property Management Company, Cathy Bulock in particular. We must some how remove this board and this property management co. How.I do not know. Do any of you?
I guess the choice comes down to: how do you want them to die? Humanely under peaceful euthanasia in a shelter? Or do you want them to be ran-over by cars, humanely shot to death, killed by predators, slowly die from toxins and disease, or all the other ways that cats die outside. How much do you really care about the suffering of cats? Your answer will let everyone finally know.
If they are not contained in a new rural location, then they will be shot to death by all neighboring land-owners. IF they are lucky enough to die that humanely. If not they get torn in half by predators or die from poisonous plants, animals, or chemicals they find. Just as how every stray cat dies in the countryside everywhere on earth. If you truly care about them don’t release them again, because that would make you guilty of animal-abandonment and animal-cruelty laws. You’d be absolutely no better than that couple that dumped cats off in a landfill and are now facing criminal charges–the very same animal-cruelty criminal activity that you yourself now want to engage in and are trying to promote.
The way things are looking a few may be taken in as barn cats. I hope the rest can be moved to a new place. We have a few weeks to make things happen so I’ll be staying on top of this one.
This is a rather unique idea. Could this colony be removed in its entirety and placed in a new environment in a place welcomed by its human inhabitants with promises of a cooperatve caretaking agreement?