PC: Fox 11 Online
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) — A new policy in Fond du Lac has some bird lovers scratching their heads.
The city has a new policy allowing animal shelters to trap, neuter or spay, and release feral cats. But there’s concern among some residents that cats will kill birds once they’re released, and jeopardize the city’s status as a bird city.
Critter Junction Animal Rescue owner, Renee Webb, offered a counter point.
“What we’re trying to do is a systematic reduction of cats that are in our city, which will pose less of a threat to the bird population,” said Webb.
The City of Fond du Lac wanted to avoid taking sides on the issue, so as opposed to requiring feral cats be released through an ordinance, the city is simply allowing shelters to make their own choices through a policy.
If shelters don’t release the feral cats, they can either adopt them out or euthanize them.
The City has been working on the policy for about one year.
“My desire was to get the best arrangement we could to maintain our high flyer status with bird city, and not divide the city between the “cat” people and the “bird” people,” said Laura DeGolier with Bird City Fond du Lac.
However, DeGolier says its possible Fond du Lac could lose its high flyer status. Having a high flyer status means the city goes above and beyond for the birds.
“We would not like losing the high flyer status, but we would still be a bird city,” said DeGolier. “And whatever I do in terms of education and promotion of birds would not change. It would be sort of a semantic thing [to lose high flyer status], and Bird City would have the right to do that because they are discouraging that [release of feral cats] across the state.”
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