"La Crosse firefighter Mark Smith, 48, helped lead the cat-hunting proposal. He wants Wisconsin to declare free-roaming wild cats an unprotected species, just like skunks or gophers. Anyone with a small-game license could shoot the cats at will.
At least two other upper Midwestern states, South Dakota and Minnesota, allow wild cats to be shot -- and have for decades. Minnesota defines a wild, or feral, cat as one with no collar that does not show friendly behavior, said Kevin Kyle with that state's Department of Natural Resources.
Every year in Wisconsin alone, an estimated 2 million wild cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds, according to state officials. Despite the astounding numbers, Smith's plan has been met with fierce opposition from cat lovers."
excerpted from here- http://www.cnn.com/2005....ex.html
Quite frankly, I am a proponent of this. I am not an evil person and I do not hate cats. I have 8 of my own and they receive routine veterinary care as well as annual vaccinations and my cats are all indoor only companion pets to insure they do not spread disease, mutilate or "kill" wildlife, or annoy neighbors. I am saddened when I hear of people who are so frustrated with stray/feral cats that they resort to poisons and some even resort to jaw traps. This is inhumane in my humble opinion as it is not the cat's fault.
The havoc wreaked in the environment as a result of stray/feral cats is irrefutable. The public health issues associated with these stray/feral cats alone warranted this type of action decades ago. Illinois is an extremely liberal state so I am hoping this passes in Wisconsin as it has in other states as hopefully we will follow suit. Our DNR is virtually broke and spay & neuter aka TNR (trap neuter release) does not work. Additionally, the possibility exists that TNR may ultimately be found to violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as well as the Endangered Species Act. Sadly, there are alternatives to allowing these stray/feral cats to roam however one rarely sees them discussed given so many cat lovers subscribe to anthropomorphic ideologies.
At least two other upper Midwestern states, South Dakota and Minnesota, allow wild cats to be shot -- and have for decades. Minnesota defines a wild, or feral, cat as one with no collar that does not show friendly behavior, said Kevin Kyle with that state's Department of Natural Resources.
Every year in Wisconsin alone, an estimated 2 million wild cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds, according to state officials. Despite the astounding numbers, Smith's plan has been met with fierce opposition from cat lovers."
excerpted from here- http://www.cnn.com/2005....ex.html
Quite frankly, I am a proponent of this. I am not an evil person and I do not hate cats. I have 8 of my own and they receive routine veterinary care as well as annual vaccinations and my cats are all indoor only companion pets to insure they do not spread disease, mutilate or "kill" wildlife, or annoy neighbors. I am saddened when I hear of people who are so frustrated with stray/feral cats that they resort to poisons and some even resort to jaw traps. This is inhumane in my humble opinion as it is not the cat's fault.
The havoc wreaked in the environment as a result of stray/feral cats is irrefutable. The public health issues associated with these stray/feral cats alone warranted this type of action decades ago. Illinois is an extremely liberal state so I am hoping this passes in Wisconsin as it has in other states as hopefully we will follow suit. Our DNR is virtually broke and spay & neuter aka TNR (trap neuter release) does not work. Additionally, the possibility exists that TNR may ultimately be found to violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as well as the Endangered Species Act. Sadly, there are alternatives to allowing these stray/feral cats to roam however one rarely sees them discussed given so many cat lovers subscribe to anthropomorphic ideologies.