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My Pet World: Readers share their thoughts

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on

Here are a pawful of comments from readers, some who like me, others not so much!

COMMENT: "Your recent advice to a reader suggesting that someone has the right to kill a cat that strolls through their yard (and may or may not leave feces or urine) was ill-advised.

"I have a strong love for all animals. I have four rescue dogs that stay in my yard, and two rescue cats that never go out. I've made many rescues and volunteered at our local animal shelter. I live in the suburbs with a large yard. I'm also a caretaker for a feral cat colony. These strays mostly stay in my yard, but sometimes wander into neighbors' yards.

"One neighbor has killed a stray. To give such people the authority to simply eliminate roaming cats is illegal. Many people will skip the shelter if they think it's OK to kill any animal that wanders into their yard. There are no laws to prohibit a cat from going outdoors, but there are laws to prevent people from stealing or destroying personal property. You truly should rethink, and retract, that response." -- P.C., Hartford, CT

MY REPLY: I have never endorsed killing cats. In fact, for years, I've been a leading proponent of trap-neuter-return programs to care for feral cats. You've taken what I did say completely out of context.

Here's the conundrum: A reader wrote to me saying she didn't want cats in her yard. She referred to owned cats from the neighborhood. As much as I love cats, I realized she had the legal right not to have her garden destroyed by these pets, which is what she claimed was happening. I never suggested she harm the cats.

 

The reader had tried to reason with her neighbor, whose cats were using her garden as a litter box. I suggested she try fencing or other deterrents. If these efforts failed, she wondered what she should do.

In such cases, I do say that if all else fails, people should take the cats to a shelter, and leave information with shelter staff about their owner(s). You're right that taking this action could potentially result in the cats being euthanized. Of course, I wouldn't want that, but the reader has rights, too. If you can offer an another solution to her problem, I'd like to hear it.

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COMMENT: "I ran an animal rescue program for 16 years. During those years, I received many ferrets. Of course, I fell in love with them. How could you not? I'm now involved with legalization efforts regarding the ban on ferrets in California. For me, it's very personal, as I've seen many relinquished ferrets with illnesses that could have been treated. Instead, the owners were too afraid to take their pets to a vet and risk confiscation.

...continued

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