Need pro bono legal advice/help - animal problem
By momiecat
@momiecat (997)
United States
January 17, 2009 4:18pm CST
I live in Los Angeles County. I need some advice and possibly some hands-on help regarding an animal situation regarding the killing of feral cats. It would be advice on how to try to get legal justice for the perpetrators of these crimes without a heck of a lot of proof and towards a big box store and without having harm come to the few cats remaining in the area.
4 people like this
4 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
17 Jan 09
Oh you have touched an area that I am very much involved in at the moment, I live in Melbourne Australia and for some reason there are a lot of peoplewho are so against cats for a reason i myself just don't get...when I first moved here there was a lot of cats, but because of people complaining the strays were caught and I guess killed and people are still moaning, even about pet cats, I have had articles published in our local paper lashing back at the people who say cats should be gotten rid of...but why...now that there are only a few pet cats in the area, we are over-run with mice and rats...I have pointed this out and how mice and rats have become immuned to the poisons and too clever for the traps, the cat I had before the one I have now caught 17 mice in one night in a neighbours yard, so I just can't understand why people would prefer to have mice and rats rather cats, maybe because they don't actually see the mice and rats much they think they are not there but I tell them they are...my cat is always killing them...I just don't understand the problem people have with cats....
@momiecat (997)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Oh what a sad story you tell. I love all animals but especially cats. I don't understand why people don't just let them be instead of being so cruel to them. It breaks my heart. Cats are good mousers. Even their presence keeps the mice away. When it comes to people lauding their dominion over defenseless creatures, it gets my blood pressure and anxiety level up so much that I just want to scream. I hope there will be some sort of justice for these inhuman's for destroying these precious creatures. Thank you for your comments. I think there are places in the middle east that revere cats; may be I should move there?
2 people like this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
17 Jan 09
If you find that cat paradise let me know i will meet you there...
1 person likes this
@momiecat (997)
• United States
19 Jan 09
I definitely will let you know Lila. You are very sweet. May you be rewarded richly for your kindness to animals. They need all the support they can get. I will keep trying to make things better for the kitties especially. That is my purpose for living. Take care my friend.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jan 09
I think your best bet would be to contact that Alley Cat Allies website as they deal with feral cats all the time...they might give great legal advice. Another place is the Feral Cat Caretaker's Coalition and it's in Los Angeles...
Here are the links to them: {These are not referral links but links about feral cat advice}
http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=191
http://www.feralcatcaretakers.org/Caretaking/InterestedParties.html
http://www.laanimalservices.com/serv_felix.htm
@momiecat (997)
• United States
19 Jan 09
I appreciate the information Pye. I do know about both groups and have even attended meetings of the Feral Cat Caretaker's Coalition. They are more about teaching TNR. They are a wonderful group but do not really get into much about the legal aspects of feral cats or feral cats rights. I will try to contact Alley Cat Allies. That is a great suggestion.
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
18 Jan 09
Feral cats do cause problems for people. They are so adaptable and can survive in the wild but there is also the feeling that they are cuddly animals that make good pets. I believe that they have very little brains because if they had bigger ones, they would probably take over the world. Imagine a bright cat who decides he doesn't like you. There would be nowhere to hide.
@Valenas (1507)
• United States
17 Jan 09
I do not know how to help you on that. Perhaps you can contact the local animal shelter.
I am a bit curious about the situation at hand though. Are you talking about feral cats that look like they should be house cats? Or larger wildcats? If they are feral cats, it is likely that if the ASPCA got a hold of them, a lot of them would be put down anyway because most feral cats are not adoptable. They also carry and can spread FIV (basically, Feline HIV), or have many other problems. I am not agreeing with the people who are killing these cats because they are doing it in an inhumane way. I am just saying that if you bring them to attention, the shelters might try to rescue them, and a lot may end up being humanely euthanized.
@momiecat (997)
• United States
19 Jan 09
I appreciate your comments Valenas. I have contacted the local animal shelter. They know about the situation. They don't care. I am talking about sweet small household-looking cats that are feral because they are frightened of people. These cats need to live outdoors because when they have this intense fear of people, usually they cannot change and become cuddly house cats. However, there are a number of people around the world who want to help these cats live out their lives in peace. A feral cat colony that lives outdoors can be well cared for. A program called TNR (trap, neuter/spay and return) helps keep the numbers of homeless cats from rising. Along with TNR when they are neutered or spayed, they get a vaccination to help prevent FIV, etc. This helps keep the colony as healthy as possible. I am advocating that people let these poor creatures live their short lives in peace, especially if there is a colony caretaker to feed them and give them water daily. The goal is not to euthanize them and especially not have angry, selfish human beings kill them. Actually, most feral cats are very sweet. They just do not trust people. It took me 3 years to be able to pet a feral cat that I take care of and now he even lets me kiss him. It just takes love, patience and unselfishness. It takes a special kind of person to understand these cats and appreciate their beauty.
