ANIMAL CONTROL & RESCUE
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:
Los Angeles County on January 5 became the
largest and most populous jurisdiction in the U.S. to require
cat licensing. Cats must wear either collar identification or
ear tags. The new ordinance is modeled after ordinances
already in effect in Carson and Lomita, California, but
enforcibility remains in doubt. The ordinance was passed at
the urging of Citizens for Sheltered Animals, who argue
that it will reduce the euthanasia rate for cats picked up by
animal control: 39,000 of 42,000 in 1992.
Zoocheck Canada seeks letters supporting pas-
sage of the Ontario Animal Welfare Act, eight years in
development, “which would license and set standards for
the care and keeping of animals in zoos, aquaria, wildlife
displays, pet stores, pounds and shelters, breeding and
boarding establishments, and native wildlife rehabilitation
centers.” Address Bob Rae, Office of the Premier,
Legislative Bldg., Room 281, Queen’s Park, Toronto,
Ontario M7A 1A1.
“The Animal Rights Coalition, Ramsey County
Humane Society, and Friends of Animals and Their
Environment are preparing a humane pigeon control semi-
nar as a joint venture with the cities of St. Paul and
Minneapolis,” says ARC president Mary Britton Clouse.
St. Paul suspended plans to trap pigeons for sale to shooting
galleries last fall, but, Clouse said, civic officials are still
getting protest mail in response to a mention of the situation
in the November ANIMAL PEOPLE.
The SPCA in Basel, Switzerland, has cut pigeon
numbers from 20,000 to 10,000 since 1988 without killing
any. Methods include public education to reinforce the
city’s 1978 ban on pigeon-feeding; maintaining nine public
lofts where pigeon lovers can feed the birds on a controlled
basis; and removing about 1,200 eggs per year from the
lofts. The goal is to stabilize the pigeon population at 5,000.
Urban County, Kentucky, on February 2 allo-
cated $15,000 to poison crows and blackbirds, despite years
of evidence that poisoning campagins are ineffective, alter-
native ideas presented by Kentuckians for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals, and ridicule from the Lexington
Herald Leader. The county council was motivated by testi-
mony from a resident who claimed she suffered histoplas-
mosis from exposure to bird droppings.
Effective February 1, all pit bull terriers in The
Netherlands must be neutered and licensed; pit bulls may
not be imported; and they may not be sold. The definition
of a pit bull is based on a detailed description of configura-
tion. The pit bull ban resulted after several children were
fatally mauled.
Ohio representatives Frank Sawyer (D-
Mansfield) and Tim Greenwood (R-Sylvania) are co-spon-
soring a bill to regulate exotic animal ownership within the
state, opposed by the Ohio Association of Animal Owners,
essentially a coalition of exotic game ranchers.
The computer firm PeopleSoft Inc. has given the
Oakland (Calif.) SPCA $500,000, to finance construction of
a new shopping mall-style shelter and adoption facility.
A rush of donations won a reprieve January 11
for the Harbor Animal Shelter in San Pedro, California,
which was to be closed last October as a cost-cutting move
by the Los Angeles city council. Tentatively, the shelter
will now get essential renovations and be kept open, at least
until completion of a study on the feasibility of contracting
out animal control to private enterprise.
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s advice line
tape #3901, Mouse and Rabbit Control on Fruit Trees,
“suggests that dogs and cats be permitted to pursue and kill
the mice and rabbits,” according to ANIMAL PEOPLE
subscriber Cecily Westerman. Point out the risks (and ille-
gality in many areas) of allowing pets to run at large to Peter
Raven, Director, 4344 Shaw, St. Louis, MO 63110. You
might suggest, too, that tolerating natural predators such as
coyotes, foxes, and owls could achieve the same end.
Trying to control the feral cat population along
the waterfront in Newburyport, Massachusetts, the
Merimac River Feline Rescue Society neutered 300 cats in
the last six months of 1992, with aid of three volunteer vet-
erinarians, and expects to neuter about 100 more to finish
the job, according to cofounder Dorothy Fairweather. The
effort is one of the most concerted tests of neuter/release yet.
The Streetcat Rescue Team provides neutering,
vaccination, and daily care to homeless cat colonies in the
San Francisco area. Cats who respond to socialization are
put up for adoption. Get details from Joan Bush, 136
Marsilly St., San Francisco, CA 94112; 415-239-8365.
The Spayed Club (P.O. Box 1145, Frazer, PA
19355) raised and spent $30,515 during the first 10 months
of 1992, neutering more than 1,100 animals to prevent more
than 4,000 births in 1992 alone.
The Honolulu City Council, Hawaii State
Senate, and Hawaii House of Representatives are all
“considering a proposal to establish a mandatory spay/neuter
program,” according to spay/neuter campaign coordinator
Joyce Salmon. Address support for SB 672 to Sen. Andy
Levin, State Captial, Room 508, Honolulu, HI 96813; for
HB 1369 to Jackee Young, State Capital, Room 1309,
Honolulu, HI 96813; and for the Honolulu ordinance to
Councilman Gary Gil, Honolulu Hale, 530 S. King St.,
Honolulu, HI 96813.
Friends of Animals and the Voice of Nature
Network have produced a new series of television spot com-
mercials on pet overpopulation, ranging in length from 15
to 60 seconds. The set sells for $35, including copies in
both station and home video format. Get details from FoA,
203-866-5223, or VNN at 203-452-7655.
The Geauga County Humane Society, a no-kill
shelter in Chardon, Ohio,, now offers free neutering of
adopted animals.
District justice Anna Marie Scharding fined the
Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania $900 on
February 5 for failing to provide veterinary care to two
injured dogs and an injured raccoon. The charges were
brought by Tri-County Humane Protection.
Petition drives to strengthen California humane
laws are led by the Humane Task Force, P.O. Box 2074,
Winnetka, CA 91306, and the California Pet Initiative
Fund, 4470 Sunset Blvd., Suite 432, Los Angeles, CA
90027. HTF wants to set up statewide cat and dog licensing,
including substantially higher fees for unaltered animals and
a special permit for feral cat feeder/rescuers. CPIF wants to
put a breeding control law on the next state ballot.
