In Worcester County, USA, there are too many stray cats. That’s what they say. The sheriff says that domestic animals must be under the control of the owner and all times. If they allow their pets to wonder they will be fined. However, he does say that if stray cats are picked up by animal control owners have 10 days to claim them.
This is not the case. The 10 day rule is abused at Worcester County Animal Control. By which it is meant that animals are killed well before the 10 days are up. In addition, animal control make it almost impossible for a cat owner to recover their cat. They put up barriers with the intention of euthanising cats to reduce stay cat numbers in the area. And the reason for that harsh, inhumane policy is because the authorities don’t want to upset tourists.
There appears to be a hidden agenda in Worcester County which brings to mind the policy of the Beijing authorities before the Olympic Games when they cleaned up all the streets of stray cats and dogs so as not to upset foreign tourists.
Susan Coleman, the director of the Community Cat Coalition talks about a cat whose name was Oliver. Oliver had been through a trap-neuter-release programme. His ear had been tipped and therefore animal control would have known that he had been neutered and was disease-free.
Oliver had been picked up by animal control, who had ostensibly stopped him being reclaimed by Susan Coleman to allow her to return him to his outdoor colony.
She said:
“He still alive, but he’s scheduled to be killed, let’s just call it what it is, in 10 days… They won’t give us our cat, just in case it came in contact with a rabid cat, which it hasn’t. This happens all the time.”
What Susan said is echoed by a woman she refers to. A woman had telephoned her crying because her cat had been trapped in her neighbourhood. The woman saw her cat in the trap. She was told that she could not touch the trap because it was government property. She told them that her cat was domesticated and part of her family but it did not make any difference.
Animal control told her that they needed to take the cat and impound it and that she should come and claim her cat for a charge of hundred dollars. She rushed down to animal control to claim her cat but they had already put her cat down.
Clearly that story indicates that the 10 day policy is a fiction. It is not in anyway complied with. It strongly indicates that the policy of Worcester Animal Control is to clean up the streets. It doesn’t matter if the cats are feral, stray or outside domestic cats.
Worcester County Animal Control put up barriers when a person tries to reclaim their cat by asking for a large amount of information such as a certificate and all the cat’s records. The person is not allowed to see the cat during this process. This prevents the person identifying their cat. This creates a situation where it is impossible to reclaim a cat.
It would seem that Worcester County Animal Control are putting up barriers to give them time to kill cats. Although, that said, they do not adhere to the 10 day policy anyway. The 10 day rule follows the guidelines of CDC for animal to be quarantined for 10 days for observation to check for rabies.
Worcester County Humane Society has a completely different policy which is in conflict with Worcester County Animal Control. The humane society is no kill whereas animal control’s policy is to kill.
There is a problem, however, in the area in that there are too many unwanted cats. The humane society struggle with a lack of funding. They are not supported financially by Worcester County.
To return to Oliver. People have protested over his death. People congregated in front of the town hall in Snow Hill. Banners read “Oliver Deserved To Live”. He did. If the policy had been adhered to properly he would have lived. If animal control was not playing games and was not carrying out a killing agenda he would have lived.
To me, what is going on in Worcester County reflects the disparate attitudes of the population in general regarding cats that wander outdoors. Some people want rid of them at any cost which means killing them while other people want to deal with the problem in a far more humane way if indeed it is a problem. Some people believe that feral cats are useful.
No matter which side of the fence you are on it is very hard to to deny that Oliver’s death was unnecessary. He had been processed properly and was being dealt with humanely. He wasn’t a danger to people. He deserved to live out his life. The ruthless attitude to kill him was inhumane. The cat becomes the victim, the innocent victim of human failure both to satisfactorily care for a domestic cat on the one hand and to kill cats unnecessarily on the other.
Source
Note: this article contains both fact and opinion – my opinion which is premised the concept that cats and humans are equal.
Me too. If I was the lady I’d have taken the trap and cut it open and then taken the consequences. She had a defence in the appalling history of AC. She could have pleaded in court that she had to break open the trap to save the life of her cat.
Many thanks Chris for your extensive and useful comment.
I’ve studied this topic for a few years now, taken courses on it, contributed to a city committee, and continue to study it and related laws. I can vouch for evidence-based, proven solutions, meaning success can be copied and adapted.
This example you’ve provided is of a typically regressive shelter with poor leadership. They are in serious need of reform. Local residents there are taxpayers who have the right to shelter statistics, budget and policy info. They have the right under US law to access and volunteer at their shelter, share info about it, organize and demand accountability and progressive programs and services. Fortunately there are many communities who’ve changed and there are great resources online. There might already be groups in the community there who are using up to date information to organize and advocate for change.
The public and animals deserve better. The leadership should be setting the example that cats, dogs and pets are NOT disposable since there are so many successful alternatives to killing. When leadership fails to do what the public needs and expects, it’s necessary for a group to organize for effective reform and political advocacy to educate policy makers and engage the public and media.
Expert information comes from those who’ve actually reformed their community, maintained it while improving animal welfare and services, and who are transparent with their statistics.
Those who fight reform usually say success isn’t possible, make excuses to maintain the status quo, and fail to take into account the growing number of documented successful communities with high live release rates, improved welfare, increased donations and other improvements.
Surveys show the public is already on board and waiting for good leadership. Data from communities shows killing for arbitrary reasons can stop immediately or at most within six months. Success doesn’t appear to depend on high average income level or geographic location. While implementing all essential programs and services is best for long term success, communities have been able to stop arbitrary killing before all such things were in place.
Info available from the No Kill Advocacy Center, Maddiesfund.org, Best Friends Animal Society, HumaneNetwork.org (3 formerly with Nevada Humane Society), NoKillLearning.net, No Kill Nation, NoKillNow.org, oisforonward.org (appellate attorney, Austin, TX reformer), http://btoellner.typepad.com (President of the shelters in Kansas City, MO) and from additional successful communities.
See updated map of successful US communities on Saving90.org
Examples of shelters in need of reform can be seen on yesbiscuit.wordpress.com
If I seen my cat in a trap I would get it out no matter what the consequence to myself. If my cat is in the house I have possession of it. I’m fine with being sent to jail. Spent a few hours handcuffed in a sheriffs car for helping a horse once.
So ? Are they killing dogs at the same rate ? Seriously if the AC here started treating the stray dog problem we have the way this bunch of troglodytes are handling cats I can see fences going up right and left. I might even be able to take a walk without a bat or a golf club. I have heard of this going on in New Mexico. Animals being euthanized even when the owners have contacted the shelter multiple times looking for them.
I completely agree with you Eva. You have put it very well.
Michael__I don’t have the words.but given this same scenario I am sure I’d find my voice and so would the authorities.Eva_
We’ve become a world people hell bent on selfish pursuits to ensure our own comforts for the moment. while the tragedies we create thru our lazy apathetic nature go unchecked. So our dirty laundry gets swept under the rug along with the innocent tag along’s whom get in our way?
What_clean up the streets?
Clean out your own dirty closets first _I say !