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Monday, April 11, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.
Wisconsin may legalize killing feral cats
By John McCormick
Chicago Tribune
MADISON, Wis. Fluffy is in the crosshairs in Wisconsin, and cat lovers nationwide are rallying to try to defeat a proposal that could lead to the legalized shooting of stray cats.
Not since an emotional debate in 2000 over the creation of a hunting season for mourning doves has there been so much controversy over the killing of an animal in this state, a place where outdoor traditions run deep.
Death threats have been made against the western Wisconsin firefighter who first proposed that hunters, farmers and others be allowed to kill free-roaming cats to control their population, estimated at a million-plus statewide.
The proposal meets its first formal hurdle this evening, when thousands of people are expected to provide an advisory vote at conservation hearings in each of the state's 72 counties.
Horrified cat lovers and the Wisconsin Humane Society are encouraging opponents to attend the hearings, which traditionally have been dominated by hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.
The proposal to classify feral cats as an unprotected species would still need approval from the state Natural Resources Board and Wisconsin lawmakers. A small-game license might be needed to kill a cat, depending on whether they are deemed wild animals or a public nuisance.
A wild or feral cat is typically defined as one with no collar that does not show friendly behavior. Wildlife officials say studies suggest they kill millions of songbirds in Wisconsin each year.
For some, the elimination of such cats has long been considered part of the "sportsman's code," a way to protect game birds. Many farmers and rural residents also routinely kill the animals. But shooting a cat is technically illegal in Wisconsin, even if it is harming livestock.
Mark Smith, a La Crosse, Wis., firefighter who traps and hunts, first made the feral-cat proposal after he was angered by cats that prowl around his home's birdfeeder. He did not return a phone call requesting an interview.
Before the proposal reached the statewide level, it was passed on a 53-1 vote a year ago at the La Crosse County hearing of the Conservation Congress, an advisory group to the state Department of Natural Resources.
"We agree that cats don't belong in the wild," said Ted O'Donnell, who has helped organize a Web site and printed T-shirts in support of feral cats. "But this is probably the least progressive way to approach the feral-cat issue."
O'Donnell, a 30-year-old Madison pet-store owner and self-described "cat freak," is one of the leaders of the "Don't Shoot the Cat" movement, an effort that has politely, yet forcefully, taken on one of Wisconsin's most powerful political lobbies: hunters.
Feral cats play an important role in reducing rodent populations, said O'Donnell, who has five cats. He said his group is also encouraging farmers to help spay and neuter cats.
Hunters, especially those who live in the city and don't see as much feral-cat activity, are far from unified.
"It's probably not a good idea, because you don't know if you are shooting someone's pet or a feral cat," said Gary Dallmann, a turkey and deer hunter from Madison.
Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company
(I originally heard about this story from MSNBC. I found the full story here
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002237748_cats11.html
What do y'all think?
Wisconsin may legalize killing feral cats
By John McCormick
Chicago Tribune
MADISON, Wis. Fluffy is in the crosshairs in Wisconsin, and cat lovers nationwide are rallying to try to defeat a proposal that could lead to the legalized shooting of stray cats.
Not since an emotional debate in 2000 over the creation of a hunting season for mourning doves has there been so much controversy over the killing of an animal in this state, a place where outdoor traditions run deep.
Death threats have been made against the western Wisconsin firefighter who first proposed that hunters, farmers and others be allowed to kill free-roaming cats to control their population, estimated at a million-plus statewide.
The proposal meets its first formal hurdle this evening, when thousands of people are expected to provide an advisory vote at conservation hearings in each of the state's 72 counties.
Horrified cat lovers and the Wisconsin Humane Society are encouraging opponents to attend the hearings, which traditionally have been dominated by hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.
The proposal to classify feral cats as an unprotected species would still need approval from the state Natural Resources Board and Wisconsin lawmakers. A small-game license might be needed to kill a cat, depending on whether they are deemed wild animals or a public nuisance.
A wild or feral cat is typically defined as one with no collar that does not show friendly behavior. Wildlife officials say studies suggest they kill millions of songbirds in Wisconsin each year.
For some, the elimination of such cats has long been considered part of the "sportsman's code," a way to protect game birds. Many farmers and rural residents also routinely kill the animals. But shooting a cat is technically illegal in Wisconsin, even if it is harming livestock.
Mark Smith, a La Crosse, Wis., firefighter who traps and hunts, first made the feral-cat proposal after he was angered by cats that prowl around his home's birdfeeder. He did not return a phone call requesting an interview.
Before the proposal reached the statewide level, it was passed on a 53-1 vote a year ago at the La Crosse County hearing of the Conservation Congress, an advisory group to the state Department of Natural Resources.
"We agree that cats don't belong in the wild," said Ted O'Donnell, who has helped organize a Web site and printed T-shirts in support of feral cats. "But this is probably the least progressive way to approach the feral-cat issue."
O'Donnell, a 30-year-old Madison pet-store owner and self-described "cat freak," is one of the leaders of the "Don't Shoot the Cat" movement, an effort that has politely, yet forcefully, taken on one of Wisconsin's most powerful political lobbies: hunters.
Feral cats play an important role in reducing rodent populations, said O'Donnell, who has five cats. He said his group is also encouraging farmers to help spay and neuter cats.
Hunters, especially those who live in the city and don't see as much feral-cat activity, are far from unified.
"It's probably not a good idea, because you don't know if you are shooting someone's pet or a feral cat," said Gary Dallmann, a turkey and deer hunter from Madison.
Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company
(I originally heard about this story from MSNBC. I found the full story here
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002237748_cats11.html
What do y'all think?
