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Taking Issue With 'Pet Sounds'

On occasion Lucy Muller's information in her "Pet Sounds" editorial is interesting and accurate. I especially appreciate her updates on regional court cases involving charges of animal cruelty or neglect. It's good to be reminded that there are laws that protect domestic and farm animals and good to send out calls for letters to our government officials to enforce these laws and make them stronger.

However, Ms. Muller's recent article (7/7/2016) about how outside cats might be attacked by hawks, owls or eagles so exaggerated the "threat" and was so tunnel-visioned, I have to react. I think it is important, especially when writing about lightening-rod subjects such as outdoor cats, to use scientific facts, recent research, and know something about laws that protect wildlife.

Here's some up-to-date facts:

The Migratory Bird Treaty is celebrating its 100th year of conserving, protecting, and managing migratory bird populations and their habitats. The Treaty was initially between the US and Great Britain, and soon joined by Canada, Japan, Russia and Mexico, to conserve birds that migrate across international borders. Until this treaty was established, wild birds were killed for target practice, for their fancy feathers, for exotic pets, etc. Many species became extinct, such as the passenger pigeon (101 years ago, Martha, the last passenger pigeon, died).

Although not all NYS birds migrate south for the winter, nearly all wild bird species are protected by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Most people are not aware of the laws that protect wild birds. For example, you cannot keep any wild bird as a pet. You cannot shoot a hawk because it's targeting your backyard chickens (or cat!). You cannot intentionally mow down gulls with your car. You cannot bring live or dead wild birds, their feathers nor their eggs, across borders. Any of these actions can land you in federal prison for up to 2 years and/or get hit with a fine of $10,000 per incident.

Cats are not a native species. They are not part of a healthy, native environment. They are an extremely destructive invasive species.

America's estimated 150 million outdoor cats kill up to 3.7 billion wild birds per year, according to a 2015 report from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Smithsonian's Migratory Bird Center. Tiny radio transmitters affixed to gray catbird nestlings in the Washington D.C. suburbs by the Smithsonian and Towson University showed that predators killed about 80 percent of those birds after they fledged and that cats were responsible for nearly half those deaths. In another study, house cats in a "kitty cam" study by the University of Georgia and National Geographic Society carried tiny video cameras. The footage shocked the cats' owners, revealing 44 percent of their pets were cutthroats; those cats averaged one kill every 17 hours outdoors. This study also found that house cats only brought 23 percent of their kills back to a residence. These statistics included many wild species killed by cats: lizard, chipmunks, birds, frogs, small snakes.

A University of Nebraska study from 2010 states that cats have been responsible for the extinction of 33 wild bird species worldwide. Dr. George Fenwick, President of the American Bird Conservancy, states that, "If we extrapolate the results of this study across the country and include feral cats, we find that cats are likely killing more than 4 billion animals per year, including at least 500 million birds".

In late October, 2015, NY Governor Cuomo vetoed legislation that would have used public funds to support statewide trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs for feral cats. In a public statement about his decision, the governor called the proposed bill "problematic" for many reasons, including evidence that shows TNR does not reduce feral cat populations and that feral cats have a major negative impact on wildlife, "including threatened and endangered species, habitats, and food sources for native predators."

Ms. Muller writes, "never let your cat outdoors unattended" because of the extremely unlikely chance that a cat might be attacked by a raptor. If she would please research the evidence I present (above), she would realize that cats should NEVER be allowed outside, for their own safety (from ticks, coyotes, dogs, toxoplasmosis, rabies, etc.) and for the protection of wildlife, particularly wild songbirds, and especially in the spring and early summer when fledgling songbirds are often on the ground.

Ms. Muller writes, "pay attention to sounds... and the lack of them... when you're outside with your cat. If the wonderful chirping of birds suddenly stops, or birds suddenly fly away... it might mean that a raptor is circling overhead or has silently perched in a nearby tree." Really? I had to laugh at that! Why would birds at a feeder suddenly go quiet or fly away? Most likely reason: YOUR CAT!

When any wild bird or mammal is injured by a cat, if it survives, it needs a course of antibiotics starting as soon as possible (within 6 hours is best), or it will most likely die of infection. Even if you don't see any blood or puncture wounds. Cat's saliva is just plain toxic to wild birds and mammals. How do I know this? I've been a NYS and federally-licensed wild bird rehabilitator for over 10 years.

If Ms. Muller saw the carnage that I see caused by domestic cats, almost every day, I think she'd admit all cats need to be kept indoors. It's the safest and kindest position to take if you are a cat owner, for the sake of the cat and of wildlife. I know many cat owners who are also "extreme bird lovers" (what the heck does she mean by that anyhow?)] who keep their cats indoors, and everyone is quite healthy, happy and safe.

Annie Mardiney
Rosendale


Support First Responders Above Others?

Despite deplorable testing scores in both English and math, I have not second guessed teachers as I trust that their jobs are not easy. They're up against inconceivable odds, what with the rate of fatherless or fractured nuclear families. I extend, as should teachers, that same courtesy to cops, who constantly deal with this same societal maladjustment, necessitating in some cases, judge and jury at a moment's notice. My wife and I emphasize to our children that they should always respect their teachers — to help them to help you.

Therefore, I call on all teachers unions to unite and rally for all lives matter, especially those in charge of maintaining a secure, civil society that allows us to, among other things, engage in safe public education. They are our first responders: our firefighters in red, our paramedics in white, and now, our most vulnerable police in blue.

This sign of unity between bureaucrats will engender more support, empathy and respect for our police by students while assuring them of a secured, moral society... one worth investing in.

Steven P. Clum
Montgomery


Land Of The Brave (Not the Depraved)

We make many commitments in our lifetimes. The earliest one of them, is our pledge of allegiance to the flag in elementary school. It was a bit early at that age, but we spend our lifetime learning exactly what that means and it's taken almost all of mine, to realize that this election is the most crucial one I can remember ever facing, because there is so much at stake.

As I searched my heart for the upcoming election at the same time that I felt that my dream would be to have Bernie Sanders as my president, I also realized that I would trust him if he decided to drop out and endorse another candidate. He did that as I write this letter, and since I just needed to know what he felt was best for our country, I am now endorsing Hillary.

Bernie has been working hard in bringing Hillary to his side, and in her speech, she pledged to put her energy into Climate Change, along with all the other issues that were both mine and Bernie's.

As Hillary began to speak, it was obvious why Bernie waited so long, to make sure that he brought her over to "our side," on all issues. I have even more love and admiration for him than ever, and I pledge here to follow Bernie in his endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President. To disappointed Bernie followers I say:

He has her ear — she made it clear. I beg all of my fellow Bernie supporters to understand that your vote for Hillary is a vote for Bernie's ideals. He feels that she can win and now, so do I.

Jill Paperno
Glenford


Some Clarity On Ulster County SPCA

As a board member of the Ulster County SPCA, I would like to clarify something regarding the feral cat situation in our county. An article stated that trapped feral cats will be transported to the ASPCA. Unfortunately many people believe the Ulster County SPCA and the ASPCA are affiliated. We are an independent Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals located in Kingston, and serving only Ulster County. The A in the ASPCA stands for American with headquarters in New York City. The UCSPCA does not receive any funding from the ASPCA. We do not receive any money from donations sent in monthly for the ASPCA. We are a non-profit organization that relies on donations send directly to us in Kingston. We are the only animal shelter in Ulster County that has a Humane Law division overseeing the laws surrounding animal welfare with the power to remove animals from unfit situations and press charges against the owners/abusers. We also have an animal clinic at our facility that is open to the public for low cost spay/neuter services.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to clarify the difference between the Ulster County SPCA and the ASPCA. Although our missions may be similar, we are independent of each other.

Jill Schintone
Saugerties


Society Depends On Community Respect

If the Cancun Inn won't serve Trump supporters, why didn't they turn Ms. Levy away at the door with her pro-Trump hat and button?

Why would this restaurant refuse to serve Trump supporters? They have been in business for 30 years, their customer base is overwhelmingly non-Hispanic. They couldn't have survived if they'd refused to serve people with offensive opinions about immigrants.

If Ms. Levy wanted Mexican food, why didn't she go to Taco Bell instead of a restaurant owned by people born in Mexico — the people Trump wants to deport?

How many people depend on Hispanic immigrants to take care of their children and elderly at home, in day care, schools and nursing homes? To clean their homes, offices, clothing? To provide jobs as business owners? To work in almost every professional and technical service we depend on? What would happen to us if all of them were deported?

Will the hatred that the Cancun Inn has been receiving from Trump supporters become acceptable behavior if he is president? If someone alleges that they've been mistreated by an immigrant — or Muslim or black person or whoever else is added to the blacklist — will the expected response be to threaten, harass, fire or close down the offender's business?

I want to believe this isn't how most Trump supporters feel, but haven't yet seen any of them speak out against it.

Deborah Lain
Westtown


The Anti-Homesharing Bill Is Wrong!

I am a senior citizen and home sharing is important to me. Our taxes are high in New York.

Home sharing benefits me, my neighborhood and the local economy by bringing visitors to our town and the surrounding towns. They eat in restaurants, shop in our stores and make Saugerties a popular destination.

I want fair and clear regulations. The anti-homesharing bill is harmful because it would prohibit advertising of certain types of listings of short-term rentals in multifamily dwellings in New York when the permanent resident is not present. Fines would be up to $7,500 for multiple violations.

This bill treats everyday New Yorkers who share their homes occasionally the same as it treats commercial operators who run illegal hotels.

Pamela Pentony,
Saugerties



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