In recent months both Kent County and the town of Rock Hall have changed their ordinances that are designed to manage local feral cat colonies. Because of both the complex and emotional nature of this topic, the Board of Directors of the Humane Society would like to address some of the issues raised in the news.
A recent article in the Kent County News reported on Rock Hall’s new town Ordinance 2011-05 banning feral cat colonies within the town limits. This article included a statement that there is an expectation that if feral cat complaints are received by the town of Rock Hall, the Humane Society of Kent County will be available to trap and remove the felines. In actuality, the Humane Society’s role is to remove feral cats that pose a threat to the community, are severely injured or sick. The HSKC is charged with sheltering unwanted, uncared for and abused animals and adopting them out as caring pets for new owners, this is our primary mission as an organization.
The Humane Society exists for the purpose stated above, we have also been, for many years, working successfully with the Kent County Government to discharge the required services of Animal Control. This is a separate function that we have integrated into the daily operations of our work. Animal Control Officers, exercise authority given to them by the County but at the same time they are directed by and reflect the same concerns, qualities and day to day approach to their jobs as the rest of our staff have.
Responsible pet ownership is the key to our long term success and a critical component is the fact that spaying or neutering the most effective way to control the both population and behavior of animals that, in large part, lead very unhappy and unhealthy lives.
While the Humane Society currently does not have the resources to provide spay and neuter services to every cat or dog that enters our facility, we can provide low cost options that allow you to have a local veterinarian service perform this service. In the long view we hope to one day provide this kind of service on a limited scale, but currently we have no Vet staff or adequate operating facilities.
We understand the challenge of balancing animal rights and the property owner’s right to enjoy their property without nuisance animals. The Humane Society will continue to work with the citizens of the County, the Towns and other organizations interested in the well-being of feral cats and will continue to assist with the large and on-going problem of feral cat communities
We will follow up with a series of educational articles that we hope will help people to better understand both the serious nature of the feral cat problem in our county and across the country, along with ways to successfully and naturally remove the problems inside our Towns. We ask that our town leaders and feral cat advocates keep an open mind and continue a dialogue on how we can work together to solve these issues with out having to apply undesirable control or eradication actions.
Respectfully,
Max E. Ruehrmund, III
Board President, Kent County Humane Society
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