Yesterday, I reported how PETA is trying to kill pit bulls in shelters across the country. Now they are trying to ensure that “feral” cats continue to be killed in New York.
A.2778, a bill which passed both the New York State Assembly and Senate, is sitting on the Governor’s desk. It would allow 20% of existing licensing revenues to be used to sterilize and vaccinate community cats.
Specifically, the legislation says (virtually in its entirety):
“THE ADMINISTRATIVE ENTITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO UTILIZE UP TO TWENTY PERCENT OF THE ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM FUND BALANCE ANNUALLY FOR GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES : FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRAPPING, NEUTERING, VACCINATING AND RETURNING, TO THE AREA FROM WHICH THEY WERE TRAPPED, FERAL CATS…”
That’s it: a simple bill to save feral cats.
It handily passed the legislature. It won’t cost any additional money. But it will help keep community cats who are not social with people out of shelters and from being killed. While cats as a whole face a roughly 60 percent chance of being killed in shelters, when those cats are unsocial with humans, the percentage becomes nearly 100 percent. At shelters across the country, without TNR, every feral cat is put to death.
There’s no reason why the Governor should not sign it. Except for PETA. Yesterday, PETA emailed its New York supporters telling them that “New York’s animals need your help!” They called A.2778: “A dangerous piece of legislation.” They are asking that people write the governor and tell him to veto the bill.
It’s not the first time. Senate Bill 359, a bill pending in the Virginia legislature in 2012, would have clarified that neutering and releasing feral cats back to their habitats was not illegal, allowing cat advocates to continue doing so without fear of prosecution. But PETA successfully led the effort to oppose the law.
And last year, they did the same thing in Tucson, AZ. According to ABC Channel 9, “Saving thousands of cats from being euthanized every year sounds like a good idea, but a well-known animal rights group is completely against it. PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote in to Pima County’s Board of Supervisors, urging them to vote against a proposal that would trap, neuter and return (TNR) feral cats rather than euthanize them.” Thankfully, the Board ignored them and approved the measure anyway.
New Yorkers: Please join me in countering the legions of mindless PETA supporters who will obey PETA’s request to promote the round up and killing of community cats. Ask Gov. Cuomo to sign A.2778 by clicking here.
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