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McHenry County OKs plan to curb wild cat population
By Charles Keeshan Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted 2/4/04
A divided McHenry County Board on Tuesday approved a controversial plan to capture and sterilize wild cats rather than kill them.
The board voted 14 to 7 in favor of starting a trial Trap, Neuter and Release program aimed at thinning the county's wild cat population, which experts number somewhere between 18,000 to 20,000 and growing. That population includes 60 known cat colonies, with at least one colony in every McHenry County municipality.
"I'm willing to go along with this experiment to see if something can be done," board member Ken Koehler said Tuesday. "If we do not and don't come up with some other method of extermination, the problem is just going to get worse."
Proponents say the program is an effective and humane way of dealing with the wild, or feral, cat problem mostly caused by people who don't sterilize or care for their pets. Under the program, county residents caring for colonies can contact one of several participating humane societies which will sterilize cats for a nominal fee.
In exchange, the caretaker must agree to continue feeding the colony, allow vaccinations and euthanize any cat that becomes a public nuisance. Colony managers and participating humane societies will fund the program's costs.
"It's the only solution to reducing the number of cats I've heard of that seems to me like it's going to work," board member Virginia Peschke said.
Critics of the plan, however, say they fear it will not be effective and, by allowing wild cats to continue running free, presents a threat to humans and wildlife.
"It's completely and totally impractical," board member Barbara Wheeler said. "This is a wild animal and we can't make it stay within a confined colony."
"These (cats) don't belong out there," board member Pete Merkel said. "We wouldn't be doing this if there packs of wild dogs roaming the county."
The program will run for 18 months, at which time the board will review its results and decide whether it should be continued.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please send letters of support for this effort.
Katie
McHenry County OKs plan to curb wild cat population
By Charles Keeshan Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted 2/4/04
A divided McHenry County Board on Tuesday approved a controversial plan to capture and sterilize wild cats rather than kill them.
The board voted 14 to 7 in favor of starting a trial Trap, Neuter and Release program aimed at thinning the county's wild cat population, which experts number somewhere between 18,000 to 20,000 and growing. That population includes 60 known cat colonies, with at least one colony in every McHenry County municipality.
"I'm willing to go along with this experiment to see if something can be done," board member Ken Koehler said Tuesday. "If we do not and don't come up with some other method of extermination, the problem is just going to get worse."
Proponents say the program is an effective and humane way of dealing with the wild, or feral, cat problem mostly caused by people who don't sterilize or care for their pets. Under the program, county residents caring for colonies can contact one of several participating humane societies which will sterilize cats for a nominal fee.
In exchange, the caretaker must agree to continue feeding the colony, allow vaccinations and euthanize any cat that becomes a public nuisance. Colony managers and participating humane societies will fund the program's costs.
"It's the only solution to reducing the number of cats I've heard of that seems to me like it's going to work," board member Virginia Peschke said.
Critics of the plan, however, say they fear it will not be effective and, by allowing wild cats to continue running free, presents a threat to humans and wildlife.
"It's completely and totally impractical," board member Barbara Wheeler said. "This is a wild animal and we can't make it stay within a confined colony."
"These (cats) don't belong out there," board member Pete Merkel said. "We wouldn't be doing this if there packs of wild dogs roaming the county."
The program will run for 18 months, at which time the board will review its results and decide whether it should be continued.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please send letters of support for this effort.
Katie
