Re: Man traps neighbors cats, takes to shelter

Bill S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon this weekend when I saw an
> article in the newspaper I was sure many here would find interesting.
> I'm sure it will be horrifying to some:
> 
> A Portland man, upset at his neighbor's cats continually coming over
> and killing birds and crapping in his flower beds decided to take
> matters into his own hands.  He started trapping the cats and taking
> them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter.  Most neighbors
> eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
> but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days.  The woman
> who owned the cat was crushed and it started a fierce debate in the
> Portland papers.  Out of the dozen or more letters to the editor I
> read, I was actually surprised to find that most supported the man who
> was trapping the cats.  People were not happy that he allowed one to
> be euthanized, but most felt he was within his rights to protect his
> property from roaming cats.  Apparently some politcians are weighing
> in and discussing requiring Portland cats to be kept indoors or within
> their own yards.
> 
> I sympathize with the man, and with the poor woman who lost her cat.
> I have two cats, indoor and out.  When outdoors, they are restricted
> from getting out of the yard by a special fence I constructed.  I
> personally hate working in my flower bed and digging up a big cat
> turd.  One of my flower beds I don't even work in any more because it
> smells like a litter box (It's not one my cats can get to, and yes
> I've tried every product known to man to keep them out).  This is
> obviously a bad situation with no easy answers, in my opinion.
> 
> 
> Bill

Gee, I live in PDX and completely missed this!  (Can you tell I have
been sick?)

I have no problem what-so-ever with trapping and turning in cats when
the neighbors have been told to keep their cats from distructing my
property.  I am extremely conscientious with my own animals - I don't
let my dogs poop in my neighbors yard and my cats go out supervised,
only.  I expect the same respect from my neighbors.  My cats are
microchippoed because if they were ever to get out unexpectedly, and
they would be turned in, I could recover them.  Had the euthanized cat
been microchipped, it most likely wouldn't be dead.  The people who
are upset about his, for having lost their animal or for having been
inconvenienced by having to get it from the shelter, have no one but
themselves to blame.  Companion animals are a full-time responsibility
- one that we accept fully when we take them under our care.

-L.