I got a news release this week from radio host Ron Green concerning an upcoming “Philadelphia Lawyer” segment on Saturday Salon, 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday on KPFZ 88.1 FM.
The topic will be “Feral and Community Cats: Lake County”s Trap, Neuter and Release Program.” Green”s guest will be Bill Davidson, director of Lake County Animal Care and Control.
As a cat lover, the issue of feral cats is of huge concern to me. Trap, neuter and release or trap-neuter-return (TNR) has the potential to save lives.
Lake County”s cat euthanasia rate is a distinction to be ashamed of: highest in California.
The Catsnip program, created by local veterinarians, has been operating since January. Guest commentary by Susan A. Cannon, DVM and Chris S. Holmes, DVM, posted March 16 on the Record-Bee website, stated that the Catsnip program will offer a limited number of free spay and neuter surgeries for community (unowned) cats for one year.
After that, the veterinarians would like to see Lake County fund a minimum two-year pilot program in which vouchers would be offered for the spaying and neutering of community cats.
“Successful TNR programs have reduced euthanasia rates from 30 to 70 percent in Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, San Diego, North Carolina, Connecticut and Utah,” Cannon and Holmes stated.
I hope Lake County does all it can to support TNR because the alternative scenario is unthinkable, as depicted by Cannon and Holmes:
“If you take a feral cat to the shelter it will almost certainly die there. It is hard to make a case that they are somehow better off being brought to the shelter where they will sit huddled in a small cage, stressed and frightened, exposed to contagious viruses, for the mandatory three days before they are euthanized. The modern TNR program stops the reproductive cycle and gets them back to where they came from within 24 hours. They can live out their lives and the population will decline over time because of natural attrition.”
The Lake County Animal Care and Control website invites viewers to call 263-0278 to learn about free spaying and neutering of all community cats.
Green invites listeners to call in and participate during the June 9 show. The number is 263-3435. The show is also streamed live over the Internet via http://kpfz.org.
EcoArts opens Sunday
On Saturday morning, Jonathan and I took a walk down Highway 175 to Middletown County Trailside Park. There, artists have been working to install exhibits for this year”s EcoArts: Lake County Sculpture Walk.
Many of the pieces incorporate “found” or recycled materials.
One nice example is a wind chime made by People Services, Inc. out of bottles and CDs. During Saturday”s viewing, I also enjoyed Nature”s Eye, created by Marianne Martinelli”s second-grade class at Coyote Valley Elementary School.
The artwork is being installed along the park”s central trail. The park is accessible on foot off Highway 175 or by auto via Dry Creek Cut-off.
The opening reception takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Many participating artists are expected to be in attendance. For more information, contact Karen Turcotte at karenturcotte@yahoo.com or 707-928-0323.
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