Due to the lack of awareness among citizens, the feral cats dilemma has become a major problem in almost every city, not only in California, but also across the nation.
With feral (stray) cats in our communities we are subjected to property damage, flea infestation, & countywide health implications.
LA City Department of Animal Services supports the TNR [Trap-Neuter-Return back into the neighborhood where they would still be free roaming] concept as the only viable solution for the feral cats.
These animals are a public nuisance trespassing, urinating & defecating in yards, gardens, & destroying public property. Their fighting screams keep people awake & they can carry disease to domestic stock & properly cared for pets.

They are flea infested & are capable of flea infesting neighborhoods.
[Recently, August 2007, an outbreak of flea borne Typhus (from feral cats) was televised in Orange County.]
As citizen's, we need to questionthe methodology proposed by our city officials in controlling the feral cat population and the disregard for the safety of the citizens in the decision process.

The Los Angeles County Health Department is directly opposed to what
LA Animal Services & the animal advocates recommend regarding feral cats.

We want to let our legislators know that the animal advocates DO NOT speak for the majority of the citizens of this community; we are only opposed to the returning of these cats back into the communities where they would be free roaming.
There has been much research about the nuisance of feral cats and the money spent on fixes that have been tried and not worked. This is for you the taxpayer, some food for thought and informed questions to ask when broached with this subject. To date, no systematic or effective approach has been undertaken in Los Angeles to significantly reduce the feral cat population in our communities.

As you will be hearing more and more about feral cats and what the city officials, animal advocates, and the Department of Animal Services are proposing. I want to make sure that you hear the truth about what is going on in our city.
Efforts to eradicate feral cats through trap and return efforts fail to achieve reduction of the feral population for a number of reasons: (A) increased survival rates of un trapped cats, (B) continued abandonment of domestic cats and, (C) lack of animal control resources [services], (D) lack of law enforcement for the existing feral cat laws, (E) lack of public education.
The huge cat problem cannot just be ignored or sporadically addressed. The most effective solution involves addressing the issues CONCURRENTLY with high-impact programs. It requires an all out effort on all city/county departments working in conjunction with the animal advocates to educate the communities & implement effective means to have these feral cats removed from the communities and not have them free-roaming.
We call on Los Angeles legislators to implement & maintain essential programs & ensure that Los Angeles communities are not disrupted or left without city services to abate this ever-growing problem.
We do not believe the government should make laws that endanger the health & threaten the well being of our communities.
We call on Los Angeles legislators to take the lead in protecting our communities.