On May 30, 2003, the Florida Wildlife Commission railroaded through an affirmative vote on the proposed eradication of feral cats on public lands, despite pleas by Alley Cat Allies and other concerned citizens for an unbiased and scientific study to be made before reaching a decision.
This decision was denounced by ACA President, Becky Robinson, as demonstrating "public policymaking at its worst." She went on to say,
"Not only is the Commission’s policy inhumane but implementing this policy could cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars. Alley Cat Allies urges all Floridians to write to their lawmakers and let them know that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s decision must not stand. In the meantime, Alley Cat Allies will work with Floridians and organizations across the country to assess what options are available to overturn the Commission’s decision.”
Alley Cat Allies, a nonprofit national clearing house for the advocacy and protection of feral cats, has worked nonstop to educate Florida officials on the value of TNR (trap-neuter-release) in controlling feral cat colonies, instead of trapping and killing, or shooting ferals, as the commission's plan apparently calls for. ACA has assembled a veritable warchest of evidence that TNR works, in their fact sheet, Building the Body of Scientific Evidence that TNR Works, a PDF file.
Interested parties should bookmark the Alley Cat Allies home page, for the latest information on their fight to save the feral cats of Florida, as well as for tips on how you can help this worthy organization in the cause.
