Two bills moving through the Florida Legislature could impact how we deal with abandoned dogs and cats. One bill seems likely to become law. It calls for more transparency at animal shelters. The other, which would sanction “Trap, Neuter, Release” programs for feral cats faces significant opposition.
Last year about 4,200 dogs entered the Lee County Animal Control Services kennel. Fourteen hundred were adopted, 840 were returned to their owners, 480 were sent to rescue groups and 1800 were euthanized. All that information is available here at the Animal Control website. It’s a good way to let people know the fate of abused, neglected or abandoned animals. But not all counties in Florida make that information available – that’s likely to change soon, said state Rep. Travis Cumming, R-Orange County.
“It’s would make it easier for shelters and the public to know what shelters have animals for adoption,” he said.
Cummings co-sponsored a bill called the “Transparency in Animal Shelters Act”. It was unanimously approved by a house Committee.
“It’s been refreshing in that a lot of animal rights organizations and activists and those constituents that each of us serve have worked together on this,” Cummings said.
No one spoke in opposition. And director of Animal Service for Manatee County, Chris Weiskopf, said since they began posting those details on their website in 2011 the number of animal surrendered has significantly declined.
“It is definitely making a difference,” Weiskopf said. “People want to see the number go down as well and it’s not just transparency in reporting it’s awareness of how many animals we have that people need to take responsibility for.”
Weiskopf said Manatee County is working toward of goal of not euthanizing any healthy, adoptable dog or cat.
A bill introduced by state Rep. Holly Raschein, D- Key Largo, is more controversial. HB1121 would allow counties to sanction control of feral cat populations using TNR – Trap Neuter Release.
“My bill also clarifies that re-releasing a cat back into its habitat is not considered abandonment.
In Lee County, Animal Control has been working with advocates of Trap Neuter Release programs since 2009. Spokesperson Ria Brown said they don’t trap cats, but sterilize healthy ones trapped and brought to the shelter.
“Our board of county commissioners passed the program then and so it’s okay now for people in Lee County to trap neuter and release cats without fear of repercussions for abandoning animals,” she said. “People will not trap cats to bring them in here to euthanize but they will line our parking to bring them in here to be sterilized.”
Supporters of trap neuter release say returning sterilized cats to where they were found will result in the cat colonies eventually dwindling away. But critics of HB 1121, including Julie Wraithmell with Audubon of Florida maintain that’s not the case
“Trap neuter release has not been demonstrated to reduce free roaming cat populations,” she said. “In peer reviewed science it’s been shown that these colonies persist and they bring with them additional implications.”
Wraithmell is referring to wildlife loss. A study released this year by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute found that free-roaming cats in in this country kill up to 3.7 billion birds every year and 20 billion small mammals. Wraithmell said in Florida that means problems for imperiled species.
“Things like black skimmers, snowy plovers, least terns, lower keys marsh rabbits, it’s been shown that feral cats have transmitted feline leukemia and feline HIV to Florida Panthers,” she said. “These are species that are species that are really important to Floridians and that we spend a lot of money to conserve.”
Wraithmell says she has cat but she keeps it indoors. That’s the message from domestic pet and wildlife advocates across the spectrum – from PETA, to the SPCA to the American Bird Conservancy.
Unfortunately not everyone gets the message. It’s estimated there are 55 thousand stray cats in Lee and Collier County alone. The cat room at Lee County Animal control is full and kitten season is coming. Last year nearly 4400 cats were turned into animal control and about 2900 hundred were euthanized. Animal Control’s message is Spay or Neuter Your Pet – and Pets are Forever. Meanwhile, HB1121 is not expected to make it out of committee.
