There is a TNR Cat Bill passing through the General Assembly due to a
larger number of cat voices than wildlife voices speaking out. Several bird
groups around the state and ABC are actively involved in the coalition
fighting against the bill. It is really important to get to the Ag
committee in the House before Wednesday's sub committee meeting. If you are
in any of these delegate's districts, please write a personal note asking
them to not pass the bill until there are regulations in it.
Gooditis (Chair), Tyler, Cole, J.G., Hudson, Williams Graves, Marshall,
Poindexter, Wilt, Plum
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+sub+H01001
<https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211%20sub%20H01001&fbclidÿAR3SJYky74e04btGWIgbMG1I4DP3He_ulyisJM5wrrQRUZaltyQ-39e0iLE>
Here is the position from the alliance, including NORVA Audubon, VSO and
ABC. You can submit your own public comments here:
https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/committees/H01/bill_feedback
I am writing on behalf of the Virginia Animal Control Association (VACA)
and 16 other groups who oppose SB 1390, the feral cat bill. It will be
presented for your consideration in House Ag Sub. You may have heard that
opponents have no âalternative solutions so we might as well go forwardâ
with this bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, those
opposed were not permitted to offer any testimony. After hearing from the
proponents of SB1390 in Senate Ag Companion Animal Sub, opponents were
instructed to state only their name and organization. We were not allowed
to say that in 2014, the Companion Animal Comprehensive Law Work Group
(CACLWG) spent a much time on the issue of feral cats. A number of us
worked on a draft plan for feral cat management, but because the group
parameters called for consensus rather than a majority, the plan did not
move forward. Nonetheless, the plan we developed addressed many of the
issues that remain concerns in SB 1390. I have provided a copy to the
members of House Ag Sub. As passed by Senate, SB 1390: ⢠Allows the
wholesale abandonment of an entire species of companion animals ⢠Strips
cats from the duties of owners to provide adequate careânothing in this
bill requires ongoing adequate food, adequate water, or adequate shelter.
Medical care for cats becomes an option. ⢠Discusses record keeping for
procedures, but does not strictly require sterilization, rabies
vaccinations or microchips. ⢠Strips the right of localities to require a
cattery licenses. ⢠Defines âcommunity catâ as one that is lost or not
bearing ID. Being lost does not equate to feral, and many, many pet cats do
not bear ID. ⢠Provides no protections for citizens who do not wish to have
colonies of feral cats on their property. ⢠Provides no prohibitions
against such colonies on public properties such as schools, parks, nature
preserves, hospitals or municipal centers. ⢠Nothing in the bill requires
âTNR Volunteersâ to operate only in the same jurisdiction of their
sponsoring releasing agency or veterinarian. As written, these persons may
cross jurisdictional lines and trap cats where localities have chosen not
to have TNR programs. ⢠With no requirement for ongoing care by caretakers
such as food and water, catsâ only food source will be wildlife and song
birds. This will be devastating for our environment.
These are the groups that oppose SB1390 as it is currently written: â¢
American Bird Conservancy ⢠Audubon Society of Northern Virginia ⢠Blue
Ridge Wildlife Center ⢠Center for Conservation Biology ⢠Danville Area
Humane Society ⢠Ernesto DomÃnguez, DVM, DACVPM, CWR ⢠Eastern Shore of
Virginia Birding and Wildlife Programs, Inc. ⢠People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) ⢠Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters â¢
Virginia Animal Control Association ⢠Virginia Conservation Network â¢
Virginia Society of Ornithology ⢠Virginia Wildlife ⢠Virginia Zoo â¢
Wildlife Center of Virginia ⢠American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
(AAZV) ⢠Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) We urge you to lay this
bill on the table. We further urge the Chair of House Ag to write to VDACS
and ask them to call ALL of the stakeholders together to create a real plan
for feral cats that provides ongoing care for these animals and mitigates
their impact on wildlife. Thank you, Kathy Strouse, Legislative Liaison
Virginia Animal Control Association
Barbara Slatcher
Richmond
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