Beginning the first of October we will begin an all out assault on all stray cats…So keep your one pet indoors…LAST WARNING…All residents can help clean up the stray cat problem by leaving a bowl of antifreeze out to poison these ever increasing problem…This stray cat problem if not eliminated will result in higher rents for all residents.
“WHITE EAGLE WOODS…LLC”
This is part of a notice sent to all residents of a trailer park in Reeds Spring, Missouri, USA.
The trailer park manager, Mark Rich denies sending out the letter. He does admit, though, that the residents of the trailer park are divided on the issue of feral cats which reflects society generally. Some people want to feed them and some want to kill them. The split in opinion has been like this for a long time but the truth is that killing feral cats is neither the solution nor is it moral behaviour. Quite rightly, some residents are up in arms about the letter. They see it as completely unacceptable.
The park manager says that Animal Control can’t really help and the Humane Society charge $40 per cat to remove them (I presume that means trap and relocate or euthanise).
The letter is fierce because it is effectively a demand to kill cats with severe consequences for those who don’t comply.
The letter must be a crime as it is a conspiracy to commit animal cruelty. It must be a violation of the state’s animal welfare laws or federal laws and if not the laws are no good.
Dead, presumed poisoned, cats have been found by the police investigating the matter. The police appear to be disinterested. We are told that they couldn’t tell what caused the cats’ deaths or prove that they were killed by someone.
However, it wouldn’t take much to do some tests on the cats to see if they were poisoned by antifreeze.
Sadly, and typically this sort of crime goes unpunished. The difficulties in properly dealing with the “feral cat problem” remain unresolved. All the focus should be on proactive, preventative measures: stopping the breeding of cats through education to improve cat ownership standards.
A person commented that they would like to know more so here it is. Initially I kept the article short because of pressure of time. USA Today News provides the information.
Specifically, the management of the trailer park requested that residents place bowls of antifreeze outside their homes to kill stray cats. One resident, Kim Pillars, said that there were dead cats everywhere because somebody put out bowls of antifreeze. Or they are shooting the cats and burning them. In the picture she holds up the letter that she received and other residents received asking her to place bowls of antifreeze outside their homes.
The news media photographer said that they saw several stray cats and they dead, burned cat on the property. Stone County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint. Deputies visited the scene as did representatives of the Humane Society.
The trailer Park manager at that time was Mark F Rich. I don’t know whether he still there. This update is being written several years later. He said that he did not send the letter. He did add that there is a dispute between the trailer Park residents and others who want dozens of cats removed while some residents feed them. Comment: this is a typical dispute between neighbours because there are those who are tenderhearted towards stray cats and those that simply want to eradicate them.
Of course, it goes without saying that poisoning stray cat is a crime in America. It doesn’t matter in which county or in which state you live. It will be a breach of animal welfare laws. I understand that in White Eagle Woods it would be at least a class A misdemeanour or if the cat is killed as a result of torture or mutilation it would be a class D felony.
Comment: therefore, the management of this trailer park are encouraging a crime and therefore they would be criminals themselves as would any residents who followed the instructions.
The note also said that: “Anyone feeding stray cats will face immediate eviction. Beginning 1 October we will begin an all-out assault on all stray cat et cetera et cetera.”
Rich said that: “We didn’t put out any letter and we are not killing any cats.” Although he did complain about the damage the cats do to the trailers and he added that it is difficult to catch them. He also complained that the county did not have effective animal control and that the Humane Society wants to charge $40 per cat to remove them.
Some residents have agreed that the stray cats can be a nuisance but they also agreed that killing them was cruel and that other means should be used to deal with them.
I suppose that it’s possible that a disgruntled resident distributed the letter under the guise of management.
Not really so important, because law enforcement wouldn’t even consider such a threat to be a crime. In fact, I have doubts that they would even have any interest.
Antifreeze poisoning is very common.
It’s very stressful trying to keep cats safe.
Dee, even if it is a disgruntled tenant that wrote the letter, according to the article in USA Today, it says that people saw dead cats when going to the property. There is some type of cruelty going on in that trailer park. I’m a believer in where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Understand completely, Cindy.
But, it’s nearly impossible to nail the culprit.
It happens around me all of the time.
So many of my inside/outside or outside cats crawling across the yard dying.
Yes, toxicologies prove the poisonings; but WHO did it?
I’m almost positive that I know, but how can it be proven?
I had my air conditioning unit replaced 3 years ago, and the workers asked me if I knew that I had numerous dead cats underneath where they were doing duct work.
Again, I ask, how can it be proven?
Please tell me how to prove Cindt.
It requires a concerted effort by police to interview people and get search warrants for properties. It takes effort and as far as the police are concerned it isn’t worth the effort.
If someone was poisoning my cats, at the least I would install cameras that covered all angles of my property, and further out if possible. Do you have a trusted neighbor that can help you out and keep their ear to the ground about what is happening on your street?
Hello, Cindy…
Need an answer as to how to prove WHO is responsible.
Not enough to suspect.
Tell me how to get hard, cold evidence.
So, take it to the next level Cindy.
Show them who is responsible.
It’s not enough to have dead cats and toxicology reports that confirm poisoning.
They prove nothing without conclusive evidence that could nail the perpetrator.
We can’t really call “foul” without proof, can we?
Dee, is this directed at me to prove who wrote the letter at the trailer park in Missouri? What is it you are asking me to do or say?
What I’m saying is that there is no proof who the letter writer was and no proof who would be causing the death of cats.
I’ve had security cameras here for over 5 years. It’s well known.
There are some who have been able to work around them, and I’ll only see an arm dumping a litter of kittens on my deck.
Poisoning is done off my property, I’m sure.
Outside cats will wander, and they are subjected to antifreeze or rat poison, drag themselves home, and die. I have had to take many in to be humanely euthanized because of antifreeze.
Bleeding out from the Coumadin in rat poison is a much quieter, and less painful death. But, I have never been able to reverse it, even with injections of Vitamin K.
So, what I am saying is that perpetrators are nearly impossible to catch red handed, and that is what’s needed to bust them.
Dee, I understand what you are saying and am very sorry for your situation. I hate any kind of animal abuse, especially when we try and define ourselves as the ‘superior’ species, as usually an abuser will do. Even if you believe we have dominion over animals as a God given right, there is a responsibility that comes with that ‘blessing’.
At this point, I don’t care who wrote the letter. The authorities are aware there are bodies of dead cats, including one that was burned. That is what I am trying to get attention for. The authorities know something is going on and it is up to them to do something about it. It is the lack of concern for the suffering and deaths that will cause this to keep happening. They can come in and protect these cats and I guarantee you if they were serious about pursuing it, it would stop. I want the cats protected first, and then they can concentrate on finding the coward that caused this.
As I think you are insinuating, law enforcement really doesn’t care. Nothing will be pursued unless there is a huge public outcry.
I would guarantee you that law enforcement don’t care enough to solve the crime. It is about prioritising crimes. This is what happens in the UK. A lot of crime is just not investigated and crimes against animals are automatically low down on the list of priorities.
Dee, I don’t know what you mean by telling me to take it to the next level. I am 700 miles away from this situation. I live in Texas, the cats are being killed in Missouri. What is it you think I should be doing?
Sorry if I misunderstood.
I thought what you were writing about was the ease of catching the crooks and felt you should relay your knowledge to Miswsouri authorities, for whatever good that would do.
No, nothing like that ever even occurred to me. I know nothing about catching crooks.
I suppose a concerned person could put up a concealed camera trap camera like the ones used to capture wild cats on video to try and see if he perpetrators can be recorded putting down poison.
I need only one to two weeks to gather them in one place and socialize them with me 🙁 very strange and sorry for the feral friends. 🙁
How very cruel this is, poisoning cats is punishing and killing them for no crime. The idiots who caused the feral problem in the first place by abandoning un-neutered cats are to blame! I just hope someone over there can get those cats to safety before any more suffer.
Fyi, I have tagged Becky Robinson with Alley Cat Allies on my FB page. I am outraged that this situation in Reeds Spring, Missouri is publicly advertised and no one has come to the defense of these cats.
“They’re only cats” seems to be the motto. The police are not interested.
They are not just only Cats. If it was Dogs Im sure there be an Outrage. SO sad Poor Cats and Kitties. Hope Some can be Saved or Rescued.
I have to agree with you Kylee, especially in the USA. Cats are second class citizens in the shelters, and on the streets. If someone was threatening to poison dogs, I think you would have seen some of the large animal advocacy organizations step up and try to help.
Yes same if vets were declawing dogs, there would be a huge outcry!
Some people see feral cat as pests barely better than rats. As usual they forget that people created them and owe a duty towards them.
Agreed Michael 🙁
It’s really a Sad World for Cats. It makes me feel so sad for people around the world Including here in NZ. I know Dogs get a Bad Deal too. But i believe Cats really do have it harder. I believe alot of Ferrel Cats were domesticated Loving Cats, before People Dumped them or Got Rid of them. I felt Very Down Last night so had to have an early Night. Sometimes I feel when Cats get a hard time It really affects me so much.
Thank you for your efforts, Cindy.
It’s just so common that no one pays attention anymore.
Can you get ahold of one of the letters? I want to tackle this one some more.
Elisa, you might see part of the letter in one of the videos. I guess you could telephone the trailer park and ask to speak with Bill who has been there for 18 years. He has the letter and he does not like it.
Has Alley Cat Allies heard about this situation? Isn’t intentionally causing suffering and the death of a companion animal illegal? Does anyone know if any of the national animal welfare organizations has stepped in to stop this cruelty?
It is amazing how criminal illegality concerning animals quietly becomes acceptable and almost legal. The person who issued the letter probably knew he would be able to get away with it.
This is extremely cruel and needs to be addressed. Has the media in this city been contacted? We all need to call and send emails and keep doing it until the killing of innocent
animals is stopped
Thanks Judy. Good idea. I don’t think the media have been contacted. The police should do more to catch the person who wrote the letter who surely must be the trailer park owner or manager. The investigation is all so perfunctory demonstrating a complete disregard for enforcement of animal welfare laws. That is the sense I get from the story.
It was actually the media in that area that reported it so they are definitely aware of it. The Humane Society of The Branson Tri Lakes Area is the organization I contacted that serves that area. They are closed on Mondays and will not be in until tomorrow. If you are reading this and are in America, please call them tomorrow and ask what action they are going to take to protect the cats?
417-272-8113
I could only leave a message, and I would bet the bank I will not get a return phone call, as requested.
Thanks Cindy. You’re right. I guess I meant that the media were not aware of the need to instigate a movement to do justice.
It said that the humane society came out, investigated and left? That obviously is a useless crew if even the reporter said he saw dead cats. Poisoning of cats is a felony and I don’t understand how local law enforcement can turn their heads to this. Legally or morally. It must be a good ole boys network in the Ozarks!
More uselessness today. After countless phone calls and receiving no information from the people I did talk to, I was told the investigating humane society is not the local one. Investigation is ongoing by the Humane Society of Missouri and of course, no one can comment because they are still “investigating”. Their number is
314-647-4400.
Their suggestion was to watch for updates at their website at
http://www.hsmo.org
I could find nothing on their website and I am hoping they will help these poor cats. I was told that if HSMO traps the cats, there is space for them at the Tri-Lakes Shelter. Will update if I hear anything.
Well done Cindy. You’re a good lady to do this.