Many of us blogging cats, and our humans, have been horrified that a bill, HB210, has been introduced in Utah’s state legislature that would make it perfectly legal to kill cats and dogs that are assumed to be feral, or wild. The supposedly “humane” means that would be permissible include shooting with a gun or bow and arrow or clubbing them. Ever since Stephen Colbert featured this bill, and the representative who introduced it, Utah Rep. Curtis Oda, on his Colbert Report, Rep. Oda, has received death threats and Utah has received a lot of negative publicity. In spite of this, Oda refuses to kill the bill, asserting that to withdraw it would allow those who made threats of violence against him to win.
Of course Rep. Oda is not taking into consideration the violence his bill would bring upon my feral brothers and sisters (not to mention any pets that some misguided, armed human believes to be feral). Even so, in a way he is right — as much as I flexed my claws when I heard about HB210, threats of violence are not the way to stop it. A better solution is to offer alternatives and to be a voice of reason. And that is what Best Friends is doing.
You may or may not know this, but Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is located in Kanab, Utah and happens to be the largest employer in the county in which it is located. So they have a certain amount of clout in the state. They have asked State Senator Dennis Stowell to sponsor SB57, which changes the rules regarding feral cats. Up until now, if ferals were brought into an animal control facility, they were held for three days and if unadoptable (which most ferals are), then euthanized. SB57 would set up a way for feral colony caretakers to work with their communities and animal control to practice Trap, Neuter and Return. Gregory Castle, Best Friends’ CEO says that this is more cost-effective than housing and killing thousands of cats annually at animal control facilities, and Shawni Larrabee, director of Salt Lake County Animal Services agrees. “The high numbers of cats being trapped and killed in our shelters each year make it clear that catch and kill is not effective,” she says. “TNR is the only program that has shown to result in a decrease in the number of animals entering shelters.” This is the opposite of Rep. Oda’s claim that TNR is not effective. Since Ms. Larrabee is directly involved in what happens in Utah’s animal control, I tend to think she is more credible.
If you live in Utah, I urge you to contact your state representative and say that you are against HB210, and also contact your state senator, and tell them you support SB57. Or if you know someone who lives in Utah, ask them to do this. That is the way to fight HB210, not through threats, no matter how outraged you are.
Click here to read HB210.
Click here to read SB57.
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Hi Sparkle!
I live in Salt Lake City and have a nearby feral colony I keep an eye on (especially since I’m positive my most recent adopted cat-she adopted me!-was once a member of the colony). As soon as I heard about Rep-Oda’s “odious” bill I emailed him-not a death threat-just a concerned citizen email. His response to me was rude and offensive. I’m a veterinary technician and I have certainly seen that TNR is MUCH more effective than euthanasia in, not only population control, but also in keeping cats in areas where they are needed for rodent control.
Sincerely Amy D.
Great post, Sparkle. We were aware of the detestable feral cat killing bill but not that another bill has been introduced to help them. The saving one is a much more humane plan and we hope that one goes through.
We totally disagree with the death threats against anyone – even someone who would introduce an inhumane bill. And those who make such threats make it harder for those who seek a peaceful solution – such as kill the bill instead of the proposer – to be heard.
Oops, that wasn’t Ayla, Iza and Marley above, that was me. Sorry!
The Big Thing
This is too sick! I fully support TNR for kitties that cannot be domesticated. I could (reluctantly) accept that some small locality overwhelmed or actually threatened by too many feral cats and not enough funds to do TNR MIGHT be justified in humane euthanasia in desperation. But giving people complete permission to shoot, skewer, or CLUB any cat on the assumption it might be feral? What cat-hating person could possibly get close enough to a feral cat to club it? What is wrong with these people?
Makes you wonder how sick, cruel people like this guy get elected.
Thank God for Best Friends, I’m sure they will prevail
This is the first we’ve heard about this horrible bill in Utah. Mom supports the TNR program by making a yearly donation to Alley Cat Allies. All animals deserve the right to be treated humanely. Just the idea of shooting or clubbing a feral cat or dog is sickening.
Purrs,
Clarissa & Co.
I can’t believe that such a thing can still happen in a so said civilized State in the 21st century !! What the European Union tries is to catch the strays neuter them and set them free. The sick once of course are put asleep. It’s really a scandal ! I hope you get a lot of signatures !
Such a very important post dear Spark,thanks for sharing!
purrs and a lovely day for you!
Luna
Oh I hope the good bill wins out! My Human knows some nice people from Utah who really love animals, so we hope the good humans will outnumber the bad ones.
Ack! We wish politicians would get it about TNR! We sure hope HP210 doesn’t pass.
Pip, Smidge, Minnie, and Hollie
To think my parents consider moving to Utah!
Who knows? Maybe Utah could use more people like your humans. Then bill like this would be less likely to be written, or at least have less of a chance of passing.
Sadly, I’m not exactly surprised. I think many humans have simply lost their minds. After all, they don’t treat each other very well, either.
This makes our stomachs churn. How awful that someone could even think that was a solution for anything. Inhumane cruelty should never ever be considered. We’re glad Best Friends is there being a voice of reason and hopefully sparing the senseless tragedy that would happen if that bill was passed.
That is a terrible thing to try and bring in!
I am speechless…
That Carole up there in comments is me, Mother of the Admiral. Sorry I forgot to log out of my blog before I came here and made a comment. But the Admiral approved of efurry word I said.
xox
We find that there are too many hoomans out there who need a good anipal education….we hope that the Bill Best Friends is sponsoring will take hold and become law.
purrin
xoxox
TNR all the way!
I don’t live in Utah, but no offense sweet friend, I’m sure glad I don’t. That’s sad for such a great state.
We don’t live there, either, but my human has been there several times and she hope to visit Best Friends in Kanab one of these days. She says that lots of Utah is very beautiful but it would not be a good fit for her to go live. (She is a Big City human, and even Salt Lake City is too small for her.)
When I hear about things like this I think mankind is dispicable ~ how could they even think about harming ferals? Most ferals are only homeless in the first place because of irresponsible mankind. It makes my blood boil.
Jan (Milo and Alfie’s mom)
How can humans do things like this?? We wonder where Rep. Oda gets his “facts.” We know if any organization can get this change, Best Friends can.
This is horrifying. We completely support TNR anywhere.
TNR is the best way to go…hope Utah will make the right decision!
Are voters in Utah going to get a chance to vote on this bill? Or is it a bill that just the state legislature votes on? On my blog, I’m supporting and collecting funds for A Call 4 Claws which runs a cat sanctuary in PA. After they spay/neuter the strays, they bring them to the sanctuary and socialize them so they can be adopted out. There should be more people doing this.
If it is moving through legislature, then it is something the representatives will be voting on, if it makes it all the way to voting. But if the people of Utah react strongly enough against Rep. Oda’s bill (without the death threats), it may not make it very far.
Good for Best Friends for using this opportunity to do something good!
The publicist and male person visited Best Friends when they were traveling in their fifthwheel. It is some place they say!
The publicist used to live in a wildlife sanctuary in NJ. Lots of people dumped their cats and there were lots of feral cats. She trapped and fixed lots of females and then let them back loose. If she could catch the kittens they were trainable but the adults often were not. The male person said she built the vet’s new building. It’s probably true but she did notice a huge decrease in kittens after a couple of years of trapping and fixing. So it does work.
This man is just wrong and has no feelings. I suspect he is claming his “dominion” over the animals from the Bible….
Wow. Quite often I am amazed at how people can feel like something is a great idea that is just so totally appalling to me. I’m glad the Best Friends are there to suggest a more rational approach.
This bill should not pass. This is very sad.
–JB
Thank yous for telling us about this Sparkle. Me is so glad me does not live in Utah!!! Me is sending good thoughts to those who oppose the bill, especially Best Friends Animal Sanctuary!
I am appalled! Horrified. This gives permission for despicable cruelty. WHAT are humans coming to, to even think about this horrible thing? People will be doing this clubbing etc for sport.
We couldn’t agree more. Mom is currently arguing with a local suburb about how their animal control treats ferals. It is sad that the animals suffer for people being so dumb. Yeah for Best Friends and Senator Stowell for standing up for animals!!
This is absolutely appalling. The mom doesn’t even know what to write, she’s so sickened. Best of luck to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in getting the laws changed.
Hooray for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and a voice of reason.
How horrifying that someone could thing killing feral cats and dogs is a reasonable way to behave. Feral kitties are no less deserving of our love, kindness and support than the most domesticated of domestic animals. Well done to Best Friends for doing something positive and pro-active in the face of this.
Peoples’ fears drive a lot of laws. I hope sanity will prevail. The reason for the law in our town regarding cats needing licenses is related to people who are afraid the feral cats will bite their children and give them rabies. So the requirement for licenses is to identify pets as opposed to ferals. The plan, I assume, is to try to trap the feral cats. But I don’t believe it involved neutering an release. My humans need to at least get involved on a local level.
So happy you brought this to our attention. It would be a sad day in Utah for all anipals if that bill were to pass. Every someone’s loved pet would be at risk if they happened to get loose and were found wandering.
That is so scary to hear about those kind of things, where they turn people loose to just kill so-called feral cats. The usual thing prevails and that is how do they know it is a feral cat and not someone’s pet. I sure hope they can get that bill overturned because other states will start to follow suit. I sure hope Best Friends can do something about it. That is one great organization, that Best Friends. They do so much wonderful stuff. At one time I sponsored a pet as a Christmas present for a friend of mine and the owner called me himself to thank me.
Right now, neither bill is law — both are working their way through the state legislature. If the people of Utah voice their opinions strongly enough, it will have an effect on whether either one passes.