Interesting response Dorlis. Almost makes them sound human. I am amazed at how folks can write or say one thing and do the very opposite. The vet at the PETA SNIP van said PETA insisted all feral FeLV and FIV positives be killed even if they were going to be sanctuaried inside.
I'm guessing the next e-mail you get from them will be a request for money. Thanks for writing them. Sharyl --- On Wed, 12/9/09, dlg...@windstream.net <dlg...@windstream.net> wrote: > From: dlg...@windstream.net <dlg...@windstream.net> > Subject: [Felvtalk] Fwd: RE: feral cats FW: Ask PETA a Question Form > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 12:11 AM > 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> > > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
