Good thing I'm out of there

[m_cobweb]

I tracked down my friend who cat-sits for me yesterday. She's another former PAWS staffer, and she always has something interesting to tell me. And ooh, this one frustrates me. My ex-boss (the one who said she didn't need a reason to fire me, good-by) used to volunteer for the local feral cat society. Looks like she's had a change of so-called heart.




The Progressive Animal Welfare Society (does) not euthanize healthy animals, but because wild, or feral, cats aren't considered behaviorally sound for adoption, they are euthanized at PAWS.

Kay Joubert, director of PAWS Companion Animal Services, said in rare cases they are able to work with rescue groups to relocate feral cats or provide them with sanctuary.

"The care and fate of feral cats is a tough issue for animal welfare agencies," Joubert said. "PAWS understands why many people trap the cats and take them to the local shelter. Feral cats pose health and safety risks to other cats, wildlife and occasionally people."


Very diplomatic, yes. Just seems a little, um, harsh for someone who used to spend her weekends getting feral cats spayed and neutered. On the other hand, the feral cat group won't be taking her back any time soon, so I might consider volunteering there myself.

Side note: Two PAWS staffers wrote a letter to the paper after that column appeared to plead for other options than euthanasia for feral cats.

Comments

[vulture23.livejournal.com]

Yep, she sounds like a real top-notch kinda person. Bleah.

I agree -- good thing you're out of there.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

I know of three people in this area alone who have successfully rehabilitated ferals, and am aware of a number of others through some of the cat newsgroups (including someone who runs a private shelter specifically for ferals and other "unadoptable" cats, and who once spent nine months trying to capture a feral who is now a favorite lap-cat).

Not every feral is a good candidate for adoption...but to make a blanket statement that none are, so they should all be put down is just...

UGH.

No words. Just disgust.

Ugh.

Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

I am so glad Kay wasn't in charge of the shelter when we took in our two semiferals and our "unadoptable" declaw. I don't like to think of how different their fate would have been.

"Ugh" says it all.

[oracle2c.livejournal.com]

Sad and very short sighted.

[darkmane.livejournal.com]

The person or the policy?

Kay believes in PAWS for PAWS sake. She unfortunatley has lost sight of the mission of tha agency and concentrates on keeping the agency going, helping animals is an "unforseen benefit".

I wash my hands of this woman and will do what I can for the cats she would dismiss as "unadoptable".