Trailer park management demands residents kill feral cats

White Eagle mobile home park
White Eagle mobile home park

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”

demand to poison cats at trailer park
Demand to poison cats at trailer park

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.

Kim Pillars and the letter
Kim Pillars and the letter. Image: USA Today News.

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.

52 thoughts on “Trailer park management demands residents kill feral cats”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. WEST IS BEST
    because when they are criticized
    They find a remedy

    Saying of the prophet S.A.W. (in Sahi Moslem book of hadith)

    And Its a happy ending NEWS I hope 😀

    Reply
  3. Latest on cats in Missouri. They are starting to get enough attention to where I hope they will be safe. I am hoping an organization close by will implement TNR and the Humane Society and law enforcement will follow through with their investigation.

    Reply
  4. This would be the sort of article that Jimbo/Woody would love to spew his crap all over.
    But, sadly for him, and him alone, he likely drowned because he had to be ponged.
    Good job R and Michael!

    Reply
  5. Michael as per the internet source and surfing the net, I know that there are many NGO’s (non governmental organizations) working for the feral cats in USA. They get/ collect high amount of funds for the purpose. They may be powerful enough to have the support of LAW (i.e. police or judiciary).

    I am astonished sometimes that:
    1. FUNDS are not a problem for them.
    2. The law is very elastic.
    3. They are not as ignorant/ un-aware as the eastern side population.
    4. They have a huge support of cat lovers.
    5. They have Vets, Clinics, and every resource plus favorable circumstances.

    If a certain event of cat cruelty is happening in any area of the country and the dead bodies are seen constantly within few days gap/ daily. The people are complaining, plus they are aware of the situation going on, Why the NGO’s persons set cameras, traps,take an action and find out a remedy for the matter???? Is there something else going on behind the curtains?

    sometimes I ask my self, how much difficult is to gather Feral Cats in one spot, just by feeding them food, and they are there, What is the hurdle to trap them, when they are claiming that they are experts in their fields, are they experts? I doubt something else? Are they really willing for the welfare of the feral fellows or they are just making it as advertisement for money???

    I doubt 🙁

    Reply
    • Is there something else going on behind the curtains?

      Yes, there is not enough interest in the welfare of feral cats and despite the agencies etc and good people helping feral cats there are many people who don’t like them and want to see them dead, exterminated. There is also not enough commitment in enforcing animal welfare laws even in the West where animal welfare law is good.

      Reply

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