Posted on 03/11/2008 2:31:40 AM PDT by Daffynition
Randolph, Iowa (KPTM) - An Iowa mayor takes extreme measures to get wild cats off the streets.
It's a plan that's drawing a lot of criticism.
It's usually quiet on Main Street in Randolph, Iowa.
But, drive a few blocks north and west and it's not long before you see one stray cat after another.
"There's been a cat problem in this town for 11 years," says Randolph resident Sam Lupo.
Lupo says he owns two cats, the rest of the two or three random cats running around in the yard are strays.
"They're not wanted around here, they run around become a nuisance, get into trash and tear it up," says Lupo.
After several complaints Randolph city leaders are now asking for help.
The mayor's plan, is to put a bounty on all cats, so if you can lure one to you and catch it, it'll earn you five bucks.
Any stray cat or dog that doesn't have tags or a collar will be taken to a Sidney vet and put down.
"Either people keep their cats in or like dogs, if they keep 'em under control we shouldn't have a problem, it's just the stray ones and cats propagate quite frequently," says Randolph city councilman Allen Wendland.
Chasidy Wederquist calls the plan ridiculous.
"As a person who likes animals I don't think a bounty is the best thing for them to do."
She agrees there's a cat problem, but says killing them is not the answer.
"I think the county here should get something here, get a (animal control) department like Omaha and Council Bluffs," says Wederquist.
Dozens more agree.
Outraged community members vented their disgust on the city's community web site, calling the bounty inhumane and a danger to family pets.
City leaders disagree.
"There's not much of a bounty on 'em to where people are gonna make a lot of money on it," says Wendland.
If the city can identify the animal as a pet, it will be returned to the owner.
But, the big concern some people have, you won't be able to tell if it's someone's pet or not.
Even some animal rescue groups are scared people will take pets, pull off their collars just so they can get the money.
The city council meeting in Randolph is Thursday.
You can vent your concerns there. Councilman Wendland says no one has called him to complain and he says no cats have been turned in so far.
You’re only hope is to contact a TNR specialist and they will take care of the problem for you. Once they are neutered, they’re behaviors change too.
I have trapped cats before and always released them because invariably they belonged to neighbors. Unfortunately the neighbors are in violation of our condo regulations which prohibit them from letting their animals roam free.
One lady's cat I caught 3 times wandering around my place. The last time I called her up and asked her if she was missing a cat and she actually had to check to see if she was. I told her where I lived and to come pick it up which she did and I haven't seen it since. She obviously got the message.
I can't tell you the numbers of opossum and squirrels I've caught in my trap. In fact, one week alone I caught 5 squirrels. After the 5th one I spotted a critter control guy at a neighbor's house settin traps on her roof. Heck, that guy was getting paid for it and I was doing it for free......LOL!
Why didn’t you take it to a shelter so that 1) it could be humanely euthanized, and 2) it wouldn’t breed in the wild and add to the feral cat population? You are a heck of lot more irresponsible than your neighbors who let their pet cats (presumably spayed/neutered and with rabies shots) roam freely around the neighborhood.
Cat killer ping. ;)
Me too. Lightly braised in butter.
No, you just send out the "self-destruct" code via satellite and clean up what's left.
Assistant Editor Schmeckel is not amused.
WHat a cold hearted b@stard. ANd these friggin people who say ‘Keep your cats inside” wouldn’t ever think of doing that with a dog. Cats have claws and Hunting skills from GOD for a reason. It is a form of cruelty to keep cats inside all the time....they aren’t meant for that. I hope someone tries to educate this mayor.
He’s ignorant....it’s the raccoons that get into the trash.
You need to do TNR on them all and let them have a life.
You are a cruel cold hearted person to do that...would you do it to a kid?? Same thing...that cat is scared out of it's mind looking for it's home....and it's against the law...I hope someone catches you....wish it were me.
Big man...big guns do all the talking. NO brains. All hillbilly and hick.
Says the person that's never had to deal with feral cats having litters under the house. Or having them kill chickens and geese.
And popping one with a gun is a lot more humane than letting them starve to death, or get eaten by coyotes, or run over on the highway and left to die by inches.
Welcome to the real world. Where cats aren't designed by Walt Disney.
When I was 15 I came home from school one day to find my parents had moved and left no forwarding address..........
Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild........I moved the WILD cat from my area to another more rural area that is more conducive to the safety and wellbeing of WILD cats.
Thank me for not taking it to the pound which would have euthanized it within 2 days or tossing it out my car window on the expressway.........
Do yourself a favor Fawn, re-read my second and third paragraphs from my post you quoted.........
What is this supposed to mean? Maybe you were trapping to many neighbors pets and they couldn't stop you.
Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild........I moved the WILD cat from my area to another more rural area that is more conducive to the safety and wellbeing of WILD cats.
Yes, I feed and tamed tons of "WILD" cats. They are cats period.....they have all different personalities so don't treat them different than any other cat. Feral cats are looking for help....help them have a decent life...be human. You should of got it fixed before you release it....and release to a familiar area for it. And if you are really human....feed it.
Thank me for not taking it to the pound which would have euthanized it within 2 days or tossing it out my car window on the expressway.........
I'm not going to thank you for any such thing....that has to do with your own sense of right and wrong...your own conscience.
Do yourself a favor Fawn, re-read my second and third paragraphs from my post you quoted.........
Whooopdedoo....that is your conscience again.....I'm supposed to thank you for having a little? Nope.
Yeah....I can see a cat kill a goose....LOL Aint’ gonna happen. Even a chicken. Maybe a chick. Dogs/wolves/badger/coyotes.....they kill your chickens and geese.....not cats. You take the heartless easy route. It’s your (lack of) conscience and God won’t forget.
Is he going to get some cat handcuffs?
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