NEWS UPDATE: Feds Grant Lanier Feral Cats a Reprieve
Alley Cat Rescue
wildlife, had originally planned to work with animal control to catch
the cats and euthanize them. According to WSB Radio, “a reprieve for
the more than 30 feral cats roaming Lake Lanier's West Bank Park in
Forsyth County, [Georgia]” has been granted.
The Corp's Chris Lovelady tells WSB they've been flooded by people
from as far away as Pennsylvania, who were concerned about the cats.
"The local SPCA and the Forsyth County Humane Society will get the
cats from the shelter and they will take them to either be adopted or
they will provide healthcare to the cats and then put them out in a
feral cat colony, somewhere other than on the Corps of Engineers
property at Lake Lanier," said Lovelady.
Lovelady insists that park rangers aren't cat haters; in fact, many of
them got into the field because of their love for animals. "From a
health stand point, from a safety stand point, from a natural resource
stand point, a large colony of cats on a small 28 acre park that's the
most visited recreational area on Lake Lanier, just doesn't work for
us," said Lovelady.
"We're real happy that the local groups have stepped up and introduced
themselves to us so that we can work with them and they can work with
us and get these cats - instead of having them euthanized - get them
moved out to some other location," said Lovelady.
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This comes as good news, for innocent cats will not be put to death;
however, with time, the Army Corps may come to realize relocating the
cats is not necessarily a solution. Removing the cats will open the
territory for new cats to move in, whereas a sterilized colony would
keep new cats out with their presence and also stop the reproductive
cycle. (Not to mention, unlimited space to relocate feral cats does
not exist.)
I had to laugh at the comment about the SPCA and Humane Society
“stepping up” to help, when they were helping volunteers TNR the cats
prior to this situation and tried talking with the Army Corps. See
what can be accomplished when enough people come together to fight for
a common cause…great things can happen! Thank you to all who called,
emailed, faxed, and wrote letters to the Army Corps of Engineers
urging them to implement TNR over eradication.
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