Saturday, March 13, 2010

A Terrible Story...Help Needed

I just read the most horrible story in my local newspaper.  State officials in New Jersey are considering banning TNR in local communities.  Instead, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council wants to make it legal to HUNT feral cats.  That's right, the politicians in this upstanding state I live in, want to give hunters the right to shoot cats.  I'm so angry about this I can barely speak.  The thought of these poor cats, who are already forced to live their lives in the elements, being shot just for fun breaks my heart.  Here is a quote from the story:

Jeannette Vreeland, acting chair of the Fish and Game Council, asked in 2007 if feral cats could be added to the list of animals that could be hunted, according to council meeting minutes. This week she defended the 2007 resolution.
"When a cat is left to roam outside the house it becomes a character who kills birds and small mammals -- rabbits, chipmunks,'' she said on Thursday. "It's really not a natural, native animal. They are exotic and not meant to be outdoors.''


Read the full story here

The Humane Society, ASPCA and several other animal welfare organizations have sent letters condemning this proposal, but I'm afraid it won't be enough.  The Fish and Game Council has their next meeting on April 13th.  I'm asking that you all help me by emailing or writing to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to let them know that this  proposal in unacceptable.  The contact information is below.
N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 400
Trenton, NJ 08625-0400 


Here is a link to the email form on the web site Email the Fish & Game Council Here 

Please ask anyone you know to email or write to the Council, we cannot allow this to happen.

Thanks,
Jen (Tuck's human)

37 comments:

  1. That's absolutely ridiculous! AND APPALLING!

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  2. Very bad news. A park here in Las Vegas that I visit often with Ozzbourne is home to several feral cats. I sometimes see the Humane Society trying to catch them for spaying and neutering. This is good. I also speak up when I see kids harassing them.
    They have a tough life as it is, they don't need to be stripped of it. The shooters might not put them out of there misery. Animal abuse, which is against the law!

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  3. The New Jersey Fish and Wildlife must be full of mean, heartless people if this is allowed to pass as law....This really makes me mad=too bad cat lovers can't hunt these people down.

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  4. What a cruel thing to propose. We hope it doesn't come to pass.

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  5. Appalling!!! The NJ Fish and Wildlife people are either evil and cruel or severely misinformed.

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  6. How evil and cruel. Misinformed people can be educated...these people are pure evil.

    God help any cat who gets lost in NJ.

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  7. This is gross. How can anyone think that the right route isn't TNR and education? Silly fools! Please everyone, drop them a line!!!

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  8. I am so saddened by this. We just got our cat, Bucky, a few months ago. My husband rescued him from a field and he was obviously abandoned. He is the sweetest, best thing that ever happend to us and I can't imagine him being hunted. I know true feral cats are wilder in nature but that's the only difference. I can't believe this decision! BTW, we live in PA, very close to NJ, so this makes it even more serious to me somehow. Thank you posting this.

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  9. This is appalling. I know we are not in the USA but I got a group of work colleagues and friends to all pen a letter. we will send them off together. It may help a little. I hope so.. Carol and GJ x

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  10. This is an outrage, will definitely be sharing this among everyone I know

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  11. That is horribe. I am writing a letter because I not sure the emails will do any good. I am going to put this news on my Facebook page too. Thanks for letting us know

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  12. Noll, Tiggy, Luigi and Squeaker are all feral cats who were given a chance. I am sickened by our society's throw-away mentality. The feral cat situation is because PEOPLE created the situation in the first place.

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  13. P.S., I just sent an email to them.

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  14. Those of us who live with loving humans know they are not all bad. However, there is a breed of human that is meaner than mean and driven to destroy. As my human often says, "No wonder we don't have world peace." I will help get the word out!

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  15. Oh my gosh i feel sick in my stomach. How can they do that! The other day they just reported in Oklahoma city, several city shelters for feral cats were stolen... What's wrong with people? What did the cats do that they deserve this kind of treatment? They are innocent animals that need love and understanding. I will definitely send a message to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

    If you live in Oklahoma city, you can probably help. Here is the news: http://lovemeow.com/2010/03/cat-shelters-are-stolen-in-oklahoma-city/

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  16. We are working on our letter right now. It's absolutely absurd. All of the cats in this house were once living outdoors. We could never imagine any one of us having a bullseye on our backs.

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  17. Some people are just disgusting. They tried to do this in Wisconsin awhile back and the protest almost closed the meeting down. We'll write to them, so will alot of mom's frends...dis is ridiculas!

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  18. I just emailed them. (They don't need to know I don't live in your area). This is what I sent :
    I am saddened to hear about your discussion to allow the hunting and killing of feral cats. Trap, neuter, release does work. And there is already such a program in place. Think about these two things : a) hunters getting a pass on spree killing, possibly (probably) killing pets. b) Animal lovers and protectors are VOTERS. I know I would make it a goal to inform all friends, coworkers, neighbors, and anyone I would come in contact with, to vote council member Leonard Wolgast and any other member backing this proposal out of office the next chance available.
    concerned citizen,
    Peggy Martin

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  19. Mom will put this on Facebook and pass it on to everybody she knows! We are all tamed ferals - so she knows how great we ferals are..Have you contected Alley Cat Allies in DC? They may take a more aggressive approach to this!

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  20. That is absolutely disgusting, and representative of the worst in human nature. We hate hunting of any kind and heave a giant sigh of relief at the end of February when hunting season ends. It' bad enough to know they are shooting birds and hares and deer, but if they were shooting at cats, we'd probably kill someone ourselves.

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  21. That is a terrible thing to do. Our mum is going to write to them.

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  22. Hi There! We found you through Cat Blogosphere. We are NJ residents. We are stunned. Thanks for bringing this to light! We are going to spread the word.

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  23. Hello again Jen and Tuck, we posted the info on our blog with credit to you. Thanks again for posting this info.

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  24. We're shaking our heads, and our Mom is shaking her fist! Some people are just sick.

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  25. We are appalled and angry. We will do our best to spread the word.

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  26. The cruelty of some people is overwhelming.
    I think it is highly unlikely that they will make this stick. A smart legislator is never going to put this into law.
    What happens when a house pet gets loose? Who is going to want to be the hunter that shoots little Billy's Fluffy?

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  27. Hi Tuck's mom
    I did some research on this initiative and found the minutes to the NJF&W meetings here:
    http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/cnclminutes.htm
    So that we are informed when we approach the councilmembers, the issue at hand can be found in the July 14, 2009 minutes starting on page 6.

    At issue is the Bobwhite Quail. They are talking about banning hunting of this bird due to the decreased population. Even as the Rutgers research indicates that decrease in grassland habitate as the main cause of the decreased bird population.

    Assistant Director Herrighty (NJ Bureau of Wildlife Management) suggests that feral cats do more harm than hunters and habitate loss combined. He further states there is 'solid science' behind his claims.

    I can have some folks look into this science. It might take some time. Anyone want to help?
    TK's mom

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  28. We cannot believe in this day and age that this has even been suggested. Who could think of such a horrific thing? It just makes us so mad and sick at the same time. We're going to write a letter. Thanks for letting us know.

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  29. It is so wrong to hunt cats of any kind! Please let me know if the UK can take part and I will make a post for it on my blog. Kitty xxx

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  30. So terrible! I came over from the Creek Cats. I will write FOR SURE! And I tweeted to all my followers as well: http://twitter.com/YourDailyCute/statuses/10548897524

    Every little bit helps. This makes me sick. :(

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  31. sickening....It would give people the right to kill pets if they happen to be outside.

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  32. I don't like how the neighbor's cats repeatedly try to kill the birds that are nesting in my my front porch but I would never think of something so horrific! I can only imagine how many pets will be murdered and can you imagine people shooting guns in your neighborhood?

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