Letter to the Editor

Other ways to help with pet problem

Sunday, April 6, 2008

To the Editor:

First off, I'd like to thank Mr. McCurry for asking for a humane solution as opposed to dumping the cats off somewhere or killing them.

I'm sure everyone agrees that stray cats and dogs are an issue here. As an avid cat lover, this is a personal issue for me. I have quite a few cats, to put it mildly, and all of them are rescues or were strays. One person cannot solve this problem, no matter how hard I try.

Yes, it would be nice if the shelter would accept animals with no fee, or if they would collect feral animals from time to time, or when they are called. Keep in mind though, that our local shelter is not a no-kill shelter. After an animal is there for a period of time, it is deemed "unadoptable" and is eventually euthanized. This happens to millions of animals everyday in the U.S. alone. There are solutions to this, to the cats making homes in the sheds and garages and to the one running around with no home.

The long-term solution is to stop pet over population in its tracks. Cats breed year around, having one to nine kittens per litter. Imagine a cat colony growing like that in your garage! Get Fluffy and Mr. Whiskers fixed!

Pet sterilization can turn costly quick, as we all know. Did you know that there are programs for reduced prices or even free spay/neuter operations?

The Spay/Neuter League in Terre Haute saved me well over $1,000. Contact them at 812-235-6465 or stop by their office at 1403 Chestnut St. (the church on the north east corner) in Terre Haute on the first Monday of every month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Ask them about the Pets Alive program. The people there are a real blessing. If you have live traps or if the cats aren't too wild, ask them about their adoption programs too.

You might also contact the Harmony Haven No Kill Rescue Center and Sanctuary at 812-535-3819 or www.harmonyhaven.org or e-mail them at harmonyhaven@hotmail.com.

They may be able to help you as well.

Alley Cat Allies is a non-profit organization dedicated to the issue of stray cats. They support the Trap-Neuter-Release program, which enables feral cats to continue their lifestyles without breeding and increasing the issue. Find out more at www.alleycat.org.

Help make the problem stop! If it doesn't cost you more than a phone call, or one extra stop on the way to Terre Haute, why not?

Tanya Jones,

Brazil