Jefferson, Iowa is ending it’s inhumane policy of trapping and shooting cats, under pressure from animal welfare organizations and local residents. With the help of Alley Cat Allies, the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa and the Animal Protection and Education Charity, the city will review its trap and kill policy and hopefully replace it with a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) policy right away.
The ARL responded to Jefferson residents’ concerned calls that trapped cats weren’t being taken to shelters. Scott Wilson of the ARL traveled to Jefferson, where he met with the mayor and police chief to uncover the horrible truth that the cats deemed “unadoptable” or feral were being fatally shot. It’s implausible that cops were “trained” to make this decision, and furthermore there is no way for anyone to make this decision with certainty.
City Councilman Matt Wetrich told KCCI that “cats don’t belong outside….If one started becoming a nuisance, police would be called, and if they didn’t think it was owned by someone, they would take it out to be shot…Many citizens weren’t aware this was happening.”
A bullet was this city’s most cost-effective solution to controlling feral cat communities. Not only is this unbelievably cruel, it provides no long-term answer to the overpopulation problem.
Until last week, residents could request and set traps, and under city code cops could “humanely destroy feral cats.” Shooting a cat is not humane. Thankfully, residents can no longer get traps.
Trap-neuter-return (TNR) has shown to be the most effective and humane way to control the cat population. Recklessly killing cats causes a “vacuum effect:” new cats enter the area previously occupied to take advantage of the food source. Cats who manage to escape being killed, along with new cats entering the area, will continue to breed. The population will never stabilize and this practice causes unnecessary suffering.
Neutering and spaying cats is the only sane way to control their numbers. Releasing them back into the community with a clipped ear allows them to remain unharmed. And a clipped ear is the universal sign of a fixed feral cat, so wherever they may roam they can be safe.
Wilson has seen supervised cat programs in other Iowa communities lead to fewer feral cats in shelters, which means there is less reproduction. Animal Protection and Education Charity has helped other cities in Iowa with spay and neuter, vaccination, and microchipping. All of these are viable, safe, and proven methods of controlling population, backed by organizations and people who consider the welfare of animals. Jefferson’s administration would have done well to contact these groups while deciding on this policy years ago. Let it be a lesson for other cities who practice — or are considering practicing — barbaric policies when dealing with animals.
Photo by Jared Belson
Wow police using homeless cats as target practice!! How low and disgusting!
Disgusting
This animals did not ask to be created and abandoned- no police officers should have the right to murder these poor animals! I have seen enough of the officers through out our country shoot animals and people because they think they have that right! They don’t ! Without harming the animal take them to a vet or shelter to be cared for properly! Go after the people of your state and any state for not having there animals fixed so they don’t have multiple unwanted litters! Your murdering innocent animals because the lack of stricter laws on Your residents of your state – so would it be fair to shoot and kill ALL you insensitive animal abusers? No it wouldn’t be what you would want so NO Animals ARE NOT to be murdered by shooting them! Punish pet owners who are not responsible pet owners by spaying and neutering pets- start a program up in YOUR state for low income people to have there animals neutered or spayed for pet populations to be controlled! Or there may have to be a population control put into affect on the stupidity of people thinking it’s ok to harm animals!
Foutez la paix aux chiens et chats il son pas sur terre pour être mangé où maltrete
Killing cats and dogs that are homeless is incredibly cruel and inhumane and is not worthy of a so-called civilised society. Please rethink your policy on this. Many thanks
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Wednesday, Apr 25th 2018 10AM 9°C 1PM 12°C 5-Day Forecast
Police in Iowa are fatally SHOOTING feral cats in violent attempt to control their increasing population and ‘protect’ the ecosystem
Police in an Iowa city have been trapping and fatally shooting feral cats
The practice was recently suspended and the city of Jefferson is reviewing its animal control policies
Jefferson City Councilman Matt Wetrich said the cats ‘don’t belong outside’
He said the wild cats have been harmful to the ecosystem and millions of birds have died
The Animal Rescue League is working with the city to find better solutions, such as trapping and neutering or using more humane forms of euthanasia
By ASSOCIATED PRESS and DAILYMAIL.COM REPORTER
Iv never heard anything like it. It’s to ridiculous shooting cats what on earth next. Disgusting. These people shouldn’t be aloud to carry guns. Obviously dangerous people . Humans ALWAYS pick on defenceless animals that CARNT fight back. What DOES that make them look like? To me cowards and idiots. ????????
We live in such a vicious, violent world. To have this sort of remedy, in this day and age, is as appalling as it gets for an animal. I would like to know how a stray/outdoor cat becomes a “nuisance.” I’ve dealt with many cats, and I am fairly familiar with their nature. Stray cats cannot be classified as “nuisance.” And one can rarely tell if a cat is feral or not until the animal is dealt with.
I suspect this condition developed due to CAT HATTERS! They are the ones who are not only a nuisance, they are vicious, dangerous, human predators whose attitudes need to be managed. Also, having law enforcement personnel who are ok with murdering an animal because a cat hatter made a complaint is of deep concern! But, then, there are also cat hatters among this group also, and I’m sure it’s their pleasure to “legally” kill the defenseless animal without any regrets.
What a disgusting, malicious legal freedom!
Well SAid ! I agree 100% with what you say ! Yes the only nuisance is the human predator who in my opinion needs to be dealt with perhaps in an equally vicious manner then and only then they might think about their vile attitude and behaviour ! What an evil world we live in regards to defencless animals ! Again though , it is the cowardly, weak human that can only pick on them ! I would guarantee that any one of them would not and could not stand up to another human being !! Bullies !!! all of them !!!
Really are upu,americans??? Or come from a sub developed country? Don y yell me you think you are hunting???? Spain and newtering…HELLO???
I’m in such disbelief that this horrible injstice to innocent animals-killing cats-is even allowed here. Do people not have a heart? By trapping, nuetering & establishing a colony for the kittys that may not be immediately placed or adoptable or fostered, TNR is a great solution to save these poor cats and makes the community more humane. Studies show helping animals makes people kinder to each other.
Man’s best friends.?.
Man’s best friends.?.
Man’s best friends.?.
Find a better way stop using violence to solve problems
STOP USING GUNS FOR EVERYTHING, TRAP & NEUTER ANIMALS IF WE LIVE IN A CIVILISE COUNTRY
Why is it that some people in this world think that any situation can be rectified with a gun. God help us!!
Italy ??
great.keep your humanity intact by having compassion.
It’s about time!
Oh Really ?????? What in the world are you thinking ? I hope to God you never ever have to give your opinion should anyone ask whether a homeless human on the streets should be shot and disposed of !!!!! How frightening !!!!
What??? So a cat is caught and someone in the field looks at the cat and decides if it is feral or not and if they should go ahead and shoot it?? This is insane and I’m so glad that someone there with some common sense has decided this was not a good way to handle the situation. TNR IS A WIN WIN SITUATION FOR BOTH HUMANS AND THE ANIMALS. START THE PROCESS ASAP!! THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS WATCHING YOU CMMW.
great, for animals ,TNR YES, do this immediately,, makes so much sense for cops to be held in this harmful, gives them even more susicious vague ideas, so that the reps cops keep getting is worse, thanks for all the help from the welfare leaques around, yes keep doing your thing, i love cats,,!
Stop shooting these cats. They all need loving homes. Love you all cats ! Policemen – you suppose to serve and protect ! And that means animals too ! Please !
How a Police that they’ve be trained and educated to helping people animals children could kill cats without any compassion respect and love for innocents animals probably many kids saws them shutting cats when they’re growing up they’re belive that’s is normal shuts them down because they’re saws the Police doings that what’s example from the Police towards children the Country don’t have any respect for anybody anymore the people trying to stop abuse against animals and the Police don’t Respected humans they’ve been killing many Americans and nothing is happening to them JUSTICE FOR THOSE CATS instead teaching them police told them right or wrongs they’ve learnings the wrongs because police doing it so It’s right to theirs minds have a gun a shutdown the CATS is ok thanks for serve the Country .
This is outrageous as well as inhumane. This never should have been allowed. Shame, shame, shame.
What sort of barbaric, heartless shit is this? Humanity needs a head check.
It’s just amazing. I don’t see rapists and murderers being treated like this.
Exactly How a Police that they’ve be trained and educated to helping people animals children could kill cats without any compassion respect and love for innocents animals probably many kids saws them shutting cats when they’re growing up they’re belive that’s is normal shuts them down because they’re saws the Police doings that what’s example from the Police towards children the Country don’t have any respect for anybody anymore the people trying to stop abuse against animals and the Police don’t Respected humans they’ve been killing many Americans and nothing is happening to them JUSTICE FOR THOSE CATS instead teaching them police told them right or wrongs they’ve learnings the wrongs because police doing it so It’s right to theirs minds have a gun a shutdown the CATS is ok thanks for serve the Country .
The trapping and killing of these beautiful cats should NEVER, EVER have happened. I cannot believe what our fellow countrymen are capable of. Very disturbing. I am glad this practice is unlawful… Hopefully no one will break this law.
Murdering Innocent Dogs & Cats DISGUSTING
That is murder of poor dogs and cats . Put them in shelters let your state pay the bill
Let us hope the cats are now treated humanely!! Thank you so much for all the work you do for animals!!
Good idea! It’s long overdue!
Cats belong outside to run and they need sunlight/Vit D3. They catch mice and are not hurting anyone. Hate is not ok and hurting cats is not ok. To a cat hater all cats are a nuisance. People are hardly even home to see a cat. Cats may sleep in the day and walk at night. Thank you to the people who stopped the shooting. Shooting innocent animals that do no harm is no ok. God bless all who helped stop the shootings!
What in the name of god is wrong with this country. This is totally unacceptable and barbaric. TNR is the way to go
The cats are doing the city a service keeping the mice etc under control. They have no clue….just are cat haters and have no use for cats so want to kill them. Cats are awesome and deserve a good life and not harassed. There are hardly any bees/birds/wildlife due to poisons/GMO/Roundup…don’t blame cats. We need more than grass with poison/cement/houses/trash all over/businesses. Cats are not hurting anyone. God bless cats and dogs.
Thank you to the Police Chief and Mayor of Jefferson Iowa. The Catch and Return policy is practiced here in Albuquerque NM successfully. In fact, I adopted two of these cats. Local vets spay/neuter them as part of a rotating group and they are fixed the next morning, recooperate for 24hrs, and then are returned to where they were trapped. It works.
YOUR NOT SUPPOSE TO CLIP A CAT’S EARS YOU EVIL PRICKS.THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS FERAL CATS THEY’RE CALLED HOMELESS CATS
Spay neuter and find them homes
Animal cruelty must be stopped!
They are innocent defenceless cats and do no harm!
We need to rethink who the animals are!!! How can people kill so easily. And we don’t just kill them we brutalize them as much as possible before they finally die. Tougher laws need to be put into place, and they need to be enforced. They need to pay high fines and put on the animal cruelty registry.
humane
Is this Heaven?…no, it’s Iowa…no Field of Dreams for all those poor cats…it’s unbelievable as to the mentality of people who can kill an animal so easily…I believe in the 2nd ammendment, but unfortunately there are so many Yahoos out there that think they can settle any animal problem by just blowing their brains out…they are brainless assholes…no wonder they are mocked
THERE IS A GOD!!! — Thank you for changing your minds and seeing the light — thank you for all those who intervened to convince those decision-makers TO DO THE RIGHT THING! — Again, thank you so much.
How DISGUSTING AND LOW LIFE. This is back home country trash. How any government could allow the shooting of cats is ABSOLUTELY BARBARIC. VERY HAPPY SOMEONE HAD A BRAIN TO STOP THIS STUPIDITY.
How cruel is that to just kill a cat so it can’t reproduce! They should have come up with this humane solution a long time ago!!
This is progress!! Let us hope the cats are now treated humanely!! Thank you so much for all the work you do for animals!!
Animal cruelty is a crime and should be prosecuted and stopped. Councilman Matt Wetrich is an outrageous person and should be removed.
Animal cruelty is a crime and should be prosecuted and stopped. Councilman Matt Wetrich is an outrageous person and should be removed.
///////////////What is this the wild west and animals are the enemy? TNR works! I don’t remember who said this (perhaps Gandhi) ” People who look in the eyes of an animal and can’t see a soul are not human”
I do not understand there are no vets in the USA only one, who will help on low price to neuter this felines..
Still with the necessary medication not on another barbarous way.
The USA which stand for freedom sorry …
First of all neuter all the cats and people who put their animals on the street have to be punished!!!
Dr. Terry Mah Raytown, Missouri. Dr. Ami Traver, Springtown, Texas. That’s two Vets I personally know of that are wonderful people, that will work with the spay/neuter situation people find themselves in & help with the feral cats too. I’ve always been the neighborhood cat lady that cats find their way to when they’re in need of help so I’ve had to fix the whole neighborhood everywhere I’ve ever lived. You other cat people know what I’m talking about. Strange sounding knock on your door & you open it and a stray pregnant cat you’ve been feeding strolls in & goes to the corner of your living room & starts giving birth so you whip together a private nursery pronto & move the family in. Then you get everybody fixed. More Vets should realize that when they help people with this sort of thing they will keep coming back with their regular pet needs & tell their relatives & friends too.
Disgusting human beings allowing this to happem saying it was ok to kill.a cat cause it was feral im glad it stopped i would never step near or visit or support a community or state that kills animals just cause they are am inconveniance for them all feral cats are tameable to become house cats just takes hard work and effort
Trapping spaying/ neutering and releasing back into the community with an ear marking us the best way of controlling their population