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Florida feral cats are in need of your help! May 30, 2003, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) passed a policy to stop ALL Trap, Neuter, Spay, Release programs throughout the state. Now that this proposal has gone through, feral and stray cats will be inhumanely killed. This includes neighborhood cats that people allow outside. PLEASE keep your cats inside at ALL times.
PART 1: SUMMARY OF FLORIDA'S PLAN TO ELIMINATE "FREE-RANGING" CATS, INCLUDING BOTH FERAL CATS AND PETS ALLOWED OUTDOORS
Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Takes Aim at Cats
Wrongly blaming outdoor cats for Florida's wildlife woes and claiming that Trap-Neuter-Return is ineffective, the Fish and Wildlife Commission is proposing to make it illegal to perform Trap-Neuter-Return in the state. This prohibition would apply to all lands managed by the Commission. Since the Commission actually has jurisdiction over the entire state, the proposed policy would grant state officers access to both private and public property in cat removal campaigns.
As written, the policy would apply to all "free-ranging" cats, including feral cats and owned cats that roam outdoors. Thus, pet cats confined to private property could be removed by the state if they posed a theoretical threat to wildlife. Likewise, well-managed colonies of sterilized feral cats would also be removed, regardless of the wishes of the property owner.
PART 2: TEXT OF THE PROPOSED FWC POLICY OF FREE-RANGING CATS
3 March 2003 Final Draft FWC Policy on impacts of domestic cats on native wildlife
Position and Policy
The domestic cat (Felis catus) is not native to Florida, but feral and free-ranging cats occur throughout the state and number several million. Cats prey upon both common and rare species of native wildlife in Florida, including species listed as threatened or endangered by state and federal governments. Although the cumulative impact of cats upon native wildlife in Florida remains uncertain relative to other impacts, predation by cats is common and can be especially detrimental to wildlife populations that are small or restricted in their distribution.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is mandated by the Florida Constitution to conserve and protect populations of native wildlife, and the FWC has authority to curtail adverse impacts that nonnative animals cause to native species. Therefore, it is the policy of the FWC to protect native wildlife from predation, disease, and other impacts presented by feral and free-ranging cats.
The FWC recognizes that local governments have the responsibility to regulate domesticated species, including cats, but the actions of local governments must not adversely impact native wildlife. Thus, the FWC will strive to minimize or eliminate the impacts of cats where they pose a significant threat to local wildlife populations, but will otherwise leave control of nuisance or feral cats and issues of local public safety and welfare to local governments.
Implementation
Implementing this broad policy will require a variety of FWC resources as well as cooperative efforts between FWC and other public agencies and private groups. Because of the extent of the domestic cat problem, protection of listed species and public lands are considered the highest priority. Several strategies may be followed and listed below are some that should be particularly useful in protecting native wildlife from feral or free-ranging cats. FWC staff should consider these and other potential strategies and recommend implementation measures, as appropriate.
Recommended strategies:
(1) develop and implement a comprehensive education program to increase public awareness of the impacts that feral and free-ranging cats present to wildlife, identify ways for cat owners to minimize impacts, and inform cat owners of laws prohibiting the release or abandonment of cats to the wild
(2) eliminate the threat cats pose to the viability of local populations of wildlife, particularly species listed as Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern
(3) prohibit the release, feeding, or protection of cats on lands managed by the FWC, and strongly oppose programs and policies that allow the release, feeding, or protection of cats on public lands that support wildlife habitat
(4) provide technical advice, policy support, and partnerships to land management agencies in order to prevent the release, feeding, or protection of cats on public lands that support wildlife habitat
(5) oppose the creation or maintenance of Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs and similar activities involving managed cat colonies because they are not an effective means of reducing or eliminating the impacts of feral cat populations on native wildlife
(6) support the elimination of TNR colonies and similar managed cat colonies wherever they potentially and significantly impact local wildlife populations
(7) evaluate the need for new rules to minimize the impact of cats on native
wildlife
Unfortunately May 30, 2003 this proposal was voted on and accepted by the FWC. This is a total travesty. The FWC had apparently decided on its vote before the meeting.
The following is a statement release by Alley Cat Allies:
Alley Cat Allies Condemns Today's Vote by the FWC as "Policymaking at its Worst"
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 30, 2003 -- The following is a statement by Becky Robinson, national director of Alley Cat Allies:
"As the national advocacy group promoting Trap-Neuter-Return policies, Alley Cat Allies and concerned citizens throughout Florida have worked non-stop over the past month to educate the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that TNR is not only good public policy, but is the right decision for Florida taxpayers.
"The Commission's short-sighted approval of an ineffective policy andrefusal to take the time to conduct an unbiased and scientific study on how to best control feral cats demonstrates public policymaking at its worst. Not only is the Commission's policy inhumane but implementing this policy could cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars. Alley Cat Allies urges all Floridians to write to their lawmakers and let them know that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's decision must not stand. In the meantime, Alley Cat Allies will work with Floridians and organizations across the country to assess what options are available to overturn the Commission's decision."
Please take the time to visit Alley Cat Allies and read the news articles pertainig to this travesty.
Cats have been perhaps the most understood animal that man has domesticated. In times past, either you loved cats or you hated cats. Due to education and studying this precious creature, more humans have come to love and adore the domestic cats and have allowed the cat to become a family member. Just look up “cats” on the internet, there are literally thousands of web sites dedicated to cats.
We humans are responsible for domesticating the cat and we are the cause for the feral cat problems in the United Stated and around the world. Organizations like Ally Cat Allies, The Bear Foundation, Private Rescue organizations, Humane Societies, and private individuals have taken it upon themselves to trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate and release feral cats into controlled colonies. These colonies are cared for daily and the cats that live in these colonies are supplied with all the food, water, shelter and love that they need. These organizations do not use tax payers money. They are non profit organizations run with volunteers and more times than not, they pay for all expenses out of their own pocket. Not only do these organizations take responsibility for the care and management for feral cat colonies, they are actively trying to educate the public on humane animal control solutions. Death is NOT the way to control animal overpopulation.
We at Bless Their Hearts Kitty Haven, Inc., are asking for your help. Whether you live in Florida or not, please write our lawmakers asking them to put a stop the the actions of the FWC.
Governor Jeb Bush
PL 05 The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 322399-0001
Phone-850-488-4441
Fax-850-487-0801
E-Mail-jeb.bush@myflorida.com
Sen. Bob Graham
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0903
Phone: (202) 224-3041
Fax: (202) 224-2237
http://www.senate.gov/~graham/email.html
Sen. Bill Nelson
716 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0904
Phone: (202) 224-5274
Fax: (202) 228-2183
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Rep. Ander Crenshaw
127 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0904
Phone: (202) 225-2501
Fax: (202) 225-2504
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Please Contact Alley Cat Allies and ask what you can do to help the feral cats in Florida.
Alley Cat Allies
1801 Belmont Road NW, Suite 201
Washington, DC 20009-5147
Phone: 202-667-3630
Fax: 202-667-3640
E-Mail-http://www.alleycat.org/response.html
PLEASE!!! Help the feral cats of Florida.
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