got an answer from PETA, here it is. dorlis > Subject: RE: feral cats FW: Ask PETA a Question Form > Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 13:56:32 -0500 > From: "Karen Dickerson" <kar...@petaf.org> > To: <dlg...@windstream.net> > > Dear Dorlis, > > > > Thank you for contacting PETA. We appreciate the opportunity to address your > returns. > > > > We at PETA do not regard euthanasia as a solution to overpopulation but > rather as a tragic necessity given the present crisis. We know from our > experience with helping homeless animals that there is such a thing as a fate > worse than death. We have seen animals suffering from injury and disease with > no veterinary care, corpses of animals who have been left to starve, and the > remains of cats who have been used as bait in dog-fighting rings. Every > winter, we see dogs shivering and trying to curl themselves into the tiniest > balls to keep warm; every summer, we see them with their tongues dragging, > panting in a desperate effort to lower their body temperatures, suffering > from excessive heat and insufficient water supplies. > > > > Our Community Animal Project (CAP) rescues homeless animals from > environmental dangers, as well as from cruel humans. They crawl through > sewers, poke through junkyards, climb trees, and dodge traffic in order to > reach animals in danger. During floods and storms, they are out saving lives > at all hours. They also rescue animal companions from abusive homes, often > encountering resistance from obstructive landlords and angry "guardians" as > they try to coax terrified, abandoned, and neglected animals to safety. Our > agents travel to the worst neighborhoods to deliver food, doghouses, and > bedding to pit bulls who have never known a kind word or touch, dogs > who―assuming that CAP members, like all the other humans they have known, > have come to do them harm―greet them with snapping jaws in defense of the > tiny patches of muddy earth that they call home. > > > > We push to have animal abusers prosecuted and their animal victims removed > from their custody, but sometimes the best we can do is administer the only > true solution to the overpopulation crisis: spaying and neutering as many > animals as we can so as to prevent future litters of vulnerable, unwanted > animals. Sterilization is the best way to lessen animal suffering―and we know > this because we have seen what happens to the offspring of intact animal > companions. > > > > PETA does not operate a shelter, but we do take in the animals nobody > wants―feral cat colonies descended from abandoned, unaltered cat companions, > now wild and often infected with deadly, ravaging diseases like feline AIDS > and leukemia; stray dogs so disfigured by mange that they are almost no > longer recognizable as canines; litters of parvo-infected puppies, plagued > with diarrhea and vomiting, literally dehydrating to death; and backyard dogs > who have known only chains, beatings, and neglect and have gone mad because > of it. > > > > Some of the animals we take in are lost companions with loving families who > miss them; we are always happy to return such animals to their homes. We have > also managed to catch and return some highly elusive animals other agencies > had given up on. While some of the healthy, adoptable homeless animals we > rescue are fostered in homes (often our own) or taken directly to local > shelters to await adoption, the reality is that thousands of animals are > euthanized every day across America for lack of good homes. To learn more, > visit http://www.HelpingAnimals.com/f-nc.asp and > http://www.HelpingAnimals.com/ga_spay.asp. > > > > Although feral cats are fearful of humans, they are still domesticated and > ill-equipped to survive on their own. Feral cats do not die of old age. They > are poisoned, shot, and tortured by cruel people; they are hit by cars and > attacked by other animals; and they die of exposure, starvation, and highly > contagious fatal diseases, such as rabies, feline AIDS, feline leukemia, and > feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Even highly treatable conditions can be > deadly for cats who cannot be handled and regularly taken to a veterinarian. > Minor cuts or puncture wounds can turn into raging infections and abscesses. > Cats with untreated upper respiratory infections may not be able to see and > breathe properly, or at all, on account of the mucus obstructing their eyes > and noses. Ferals driven crazy by the pain and itching of ear mites and > accompanying infections often scratch their ears bloody. Many die of blood > loss or anemia caused by worms and fleas. Untreated urinary tract infections, > which frequently lead to blockage in male cats, cause extremely painful, > lingering deaths. To learn more, please see: > > > > * http://www.HelpingAnimals.com/a-feral.html > * http://PETALiterature.com/WEL233.pdf > * > http://www.HelpingAnimals.com/Factsheet/files/FactsheetDisplay.asp?ID=120 > > > > The kindest thing that you can do for feral cats is rescue them from a life > of constant suffering by humanely trapping them. If you are unable to capture > them, call your local animal control, humane society, or SPCA, which, in > addition to trapping animals humanely, will also be able to assess their > health and disposition. Every effort will be made to find good homes for > those who are sociable and adoptable. Unfortunately, however, sometimes the > best we can offer an animal is peaceful release from a hostile world. > Tragically, it is often the most humane option. To learn more, please visit > http://www.HelpingAnimals.com/i-euth.html. > > > > We try very hard to do our part. But others must do their part as well. > Animal lovers everywhere must work to help animals in their communities. When > strays show up on our doorsteps, we mustn't assume that they have homes or > that "someone else" will take care of them. We must be that "someone else" > and take these homeless animals to shelters or, if we possibly can, see to > their medical needs, have them sterilized and vaccinated, and foster them > until loving, permanent homes can be found for them. > > > > Likewise, be attentive to your animal neighbors. If an animal who lives > nearby has litter after litter of babies, offer to have her spayed. Write to > your town councilperson and urge him or her to raise licensing fees for > unaltered animals. Alert authorities if you witness an animal being abused or > neglected. Boycott pet shops that sell puppies and kittens; adopt strays or > shelter animals instead. > > > > PETA can provide information, advice, educational materials, and assistance > to anyone who is interested in helping animals. For more information on our > animal companion programs and literature, please visit > http://www.HelpingAnimals.com <http://www.helpinganimals.com/> . > > > > Thank you again for your inquiry and for your concern for animals. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > Karen Dickerson > > Correspondence Assistant > > The PETA Foundation > > In these difficult times, please remember animals. Donate today! > <http://www.peta.org/jnew/index.asp> > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: dlg...@windstream.net [mailto:dlg...@windstream.net] > Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 12:11 PM > To: info > Subject: Ask PETA a Question Form > > > > > > peta_general > > PETA's Online Community > > > > First Name > > dorlis > > Last Name > > grote > > Address 1 > > 200 quade road > > Address 2 > > > > City > > silex > > County > > lincoln > > State/Province > > MO > > Country > > United States > > Zip/Postal Code > > 63377 > > Tel. > > > > E-Mail > > dlg...@windstream.net > > Subject Line of E-Mail > > felv and fiv > > Your Message (please include all relevant details) > > HOW DARE YOU KILL AND CAT TESTING POSITIVE WITH A SNAP TEST. THEY ARE OFTEN > WRONG. FELV AND FIV DOES NOT MEAN AN AUTMATIC DEATH SENTENCE, I HAVE 2 FELV > CATS 1YEAR AND 5 YEARS. THEY ARE HEALTHY AND LIVE IN MY MIXED COMMUNITY OF 8. > I KNOW OF OTHERS WHO HAVE MIXED COLONYS OF 15 OR MORE. FELV AND FIV CATS CAN > LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY LIVES OR NOT, THAT IS UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE IF THEY > WANT TO RISK EXPENSIVE TREATMENTS, NOT YOU. NEGATIVE CATS ARE SAFE AS LONG AS > THEY ARE CURRENT ON THEIR VACCINATIONS. YOU SAY YOU CARE ABOUT ANIMALS, PROVE > IT AND STAT A PROGRAM TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT FELV AND FIV, STARTING WITH > YOURSELVES. YOU ARE IGNORANT OF THE TRUTH AND CAUSING GREAT STRESS TO OWNERS > OF CATS AND ESPECIALLY TO THE CATS THEMSELVES. WHO DO I REPORT YOU TO FOR > ABUSE TO ANIMALS?I WOULD NOT TRUST ANY OF MY FURBABIES TO YOU. > > Does your e-mail involve an animal in immediate danger? > > No > > Address Where Animal Is Located > > 200 QUADE ROAD > > City Where Animal Is Located > > SILEX > > County Where Animal Is Located > > > > State Where Animal Is Located > > MO > > Sign me up for PETA E-News and special announcements from PETA. > > YES > > >
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