Indiana Feral Park Cats Update #6: They voted to them

The Parks Board met Thursday evening and voted to 'remove' the feral cats from the park. As I understand it, this means they will be trapping the cats and putting to death those deemed not adoptable, which will probably be the majority, if not all, of the cats.

The group responsible for the cats is going to try over the next few days to get ahold of the more approachable cats and keep them in private homes and garages until they decide what steps to take next.

An Indianapolis station ran a news story about the meeting and the situation Thursday night.

As you can imagine, those directly involved are feeling heartbroken right now, as am I. But we are not giving up hope.

I thank all of you who have taken the time to write, fax or call. I am sure it did give them pause at the very least. Sadly, they have chosen not to listen at this point in time.

The cats are probably in imminent danger. There are probably only two things that can be done at this point.

The first is to attempt to obtain a temporary injunction against the city removing the cats. They have attempted to find an attorney locally, but not one is willing to take on this case. If anyone knows of any attorney, licensed to practice in the U.S. state of Indiana, who would be willing to help, *please* let me know immediately. They have received promises of financial help to pay for legal representation; they just need someone, somewhere in Indiana or a nearby state, who is licensed to practice in Indiana, to be willing to help.

The second is massive public outrage. I know so many of you have already done so much. But if you have it in your hearts, please continue to write, e-mail, call and fax; please tell *everyone* you know to do the same; please contact any of your local media to tell them about this story. I am sure they have received at least hundreds, if not thousands, of contacts to date. But if they receive tenfold more, perhaps they will reconsider. Tell them you are outraged. Tell them they should have listened to the many well-written and factual letters and e-mails they have received. Tell them how disgusted you are and what a black eye this is for Richmond, Indiana.

And by all means, pray or do whatever your spirit moves you to do, for these cats.

Thank you.

Ginger-lyn in tears

My heart breaks for all of these innocent cats - please keep up the good work on their behalf.

Lois

city removing the cats. They have attempted to find an attorney locally, but not one is willing to take on this case.

Apparently the City Attorney was present at the Parks Board meeting to beef up the warnings that anyone who 'interfered' would be prosecuted. (see the forwarded letter from Greg Bursh of IndyFeral, posted to the Update #5 thread.)

Basically, it sounds like a wheels-within-wheels situation. That is, someone who has considerable political clout *wants* the cats out of the park, and the rest is just a matter of cashing in on political favors. In that case, no local attorney is going to take this on.

The second is massive public outrage. I know so many of you have already done so much. But if you have it in your hearts, please continue to write, e-mail, call and fax; please tell *everyone* you know to do the same; please contact any of your local media to tell them about this story. I am sure they have received at least hundreds, if not thousands, of contacts to date. But if they receive tenfold more, perhaps they will reconsider.

They've reportedly taken phones off the hook.

Right now, a media campaign seems the best shot.

I just spoke with a secretary at the Park. I told her I was from NJ and people all over the US were keeping abreast of this situation. We did not want of these cats killed. I told her the park was giving Richmond, Indiana a very bad name. She told me none of the cats would be killed and they would be relocated. I don't know if this is true. Please keep us informed and provide us with numbers and people to contact if we need to. Gail

Is trapping and relocating them a viable solution?

Has anyone contacted Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah? They have tremendous knowledge on such issues and have a national network. I will forward your email to them.

Dave

Arjun, I think you have nailed it on the head.

This is true

Gail, the group doesn't think so, and the city is not willing to do so. Thirty percent of relocated ferals are lost within the first year So at this point, it doesn't look like an option.

Thanks, Dave. They are in touch with Best Friends, as well as with Alley Cat Allies, IndyFerals, and a few other groups.

Wonderful idea, Laura

|> Is trapping and relocating them a viable solution?

Gail, the group doesn't think so,

Relocation is very difficult to accomplish properly. The ferals have to be confined for at least three weeks to get them accustomed to their new surroundings (and perhaps their new regular feeders). Otherwise, their tendency will be to bolt, looking for their old home. Thus relocations to farms often involves 'caging' them in an escape-proof barn or similar structure.

Also, colonies are like families. It's a bad idea to break them up, and it's a bad idea to throw colonies together randomly. Depending on how many cats there are in Glen Miller Park, *multiple* relocation sites may be needed.

and the city is not willing to do so.

Probably because they can see having to pay for or contribute to upkeep.

Thirty percent of relocated ferals are lost within the first year So at this point, it doesn't look like an option.

It really isn't, except as a partial solution for some number of cats.

Whoever wants to eradicate the cats from the Park is asking for the impossible. This will *never* happen. Removing one group of cats still leaves an 'ecological niche' in which another group of cats will appear. Roger Tabor has called this the 'vacuum effect'. It has been attested to, time and again. The issue can't be one of getting rid of the cats; it has to be one of controlling the cat population.

The HELP The Animals folks have been at it for seven years. After all this time, there can be no doubting their commitment to see this TNR project through. Essentially, the Parks Board has no idea how *good* they have it already. They should leave well enough alone.

Further, I doubt very much whether the Parks Board has much of an idea of even *how* to catch the cats, never mind the extreme unlikelihood of catching every last one. There are animal cruelty statutes in the picture here. I hope the media is on hand to record exactly how inept the 'enforcement of policy' is going to turn out.