by Geri Fowler
(Silver Springs,Fl)
At work I have taken care of feral/stray cats for 26 years. It was never a problem and our patrons enjoyed the cats. Some of the people even helped with donations of food or money. Many older people have told me there is a place in Heaven for me because of my compassion and concern for these cats.
Even the Animal Control people that stop in our parking lot to do paperwork or eat lunch or get a drink never said a word. One guy would pet the friendly stray we had there.
A guy living on the road behind the store lets his 2 pit bulls run. They have attacked the cats and our patrons and left messes all over our property.
About 8 weeks ago after asking this guy for over a year to keep his dogs penned I called Animal Control. Basically they did nothing except tell him his dogs had to be confined or leashed. The dogs still show up at our store, but not as often.
Well on April 8th an Animal Control worker came into my work place loudly wanting to know who called on the dogs. I answered. He very rudely told me the guy with the dogs made a counter complaint against me. He told me it was against the law to feed cats. He was going to fine me and have me arrested if I did not stop!
Feeding cats was more offensive than letting pit bulls run and harm people was the way this guy came off. The debate continued. He said he was going to trap and kill the cats. This is private property and illegal for Animal Control to be on unless invited. The handbook says all stray/feral cats are to be killed because they are not native to Florida.
Neither are most other animals here, the war is against cats specifically. I find this archaic and cruel, people here are angry. I’m still in tears.
Geri
Saving Feral and Stray Cats in Florida; Please Help to Feral cats
Just a followup.
Sadly, I think this may be another person not willing to do the leg work to save the cats.
Here are some links for organizations near you. Look around the sites, find phone numbers, and call. Tell them your dilemma and ask for help. If they can’t help directly, they may be able to tell you who can.
http://www.fcnmhp.org/pets-strays/spay-neuter-programs/trap-neuter-return-program/
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-10-15/story/jacksonville-program-will-reduce-feral-cat-population
http://bestfriends.org/What-We-Do/Our-Work/Initiatives/Cat-Initiatives/
http://www.catsangels.com/TNR.html
Thank you Dee for helping this lady.
I am in North Florida ,Orange Park
I have a reply to you but is awaiting moderation because I posted some links. You will be able to see it eventually.
Please start making phone calls tomorrow. You will find the numbers when you go to the sites I posted.
Be relentless.
I’ll check back here tomorrow.
Thanks Dee. The comment is published and was held by the computer program (software) because it had links and the program thinks that links = spam. Thanks again Dee. You are a sweety.
Kathleen, take a deep breath.
Pick up the phone and call any vet or rescue group in the yellow pages and ask them where you can find the nearest animal group that is practicing TNR (trap, neuter, return). They are your best option as they may be willing to place your five in one or two of their colonies.
I’m not sure where you are in Florida, but I may be able to better point you in the right direction if I knew. It would be helpful if I knew north, central, south. I am in central Florida.
Thank-you for your note.I have trying shelter in Florida an Georgia.My nearest shelter said they may have to close due to funding,than the cats will be killed..My vet Told me that the SAFE ANIMAL SHELTER are not a place to put your pets ”You need to ask around”! That is my delema. I have no where else to find.I feel like a murdera.This is to hard for me to handle,Thanks Kathleen
I do not have a Camera.It has been broke my granchildren,sorry !I was going to take them to the VET on Thursday to be put to sleep. I have been trying for one year,posting signs, putting them in newspapers,even going door to door.My heart is brecking.I have never been so sorry.I love them like my children.That is hard to believe since I am going to do this,I cannot afford them.That is I know to say,Kathleen
I am buying a new camera today.Michael do you think posting these pictures will Help?? WHAT ARE THE ODDS,Thank you.My phone number if you need me is 904-272-2829
Hi Kathleen. Pictures always help (I think they are essential) so yes….but whether this website will get the job done is another matter. It may because we get quite a lot of hits (top 5 in the world cat website) and we can spread the word. I have some good networkers. The odds of getting them rehomed from this site is probably fairly small (not much of a chance) if I am being brutally honest but there is a chance.
I wouldn’t buy a camera just for this reason unless it is a cheap one.
Kathleen, just hang in there a bit longer, please. I think if you put them to sleep it may hurt you.
Dee in Florida has given you some good links. Try those and if you can get some pictures we can publish a page and I’ll get the network going.
I ask Elisa Black-Taylor to comment too. She does not live in Florida but she networks well and may be able to help.
I have five feral cats in my home. I have had them for years however I need to find homes for them..I am concerned if I take them to a safe shelter they will be to sleep.I have been trying for a year.I need help,PLEASE.I brought them in because they were starving and kept looking in the windows of my home.I felt so sorry for them I took all of them in. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT???????????
Kathleen. You are a good woman and I feel sorry for you and the cats. Let’s try and help. If you write a bit more about your cats and add some photos and tell us where you are in another comment, I’ll create a full-blown article and you may then get a visitor seeing your cats and offer to take one or two.
So, please tell us some more and if you can add some pictures. Take care.