A NEW LIFE IN WILD CITY MAY TRAP, NEUTER FERAL CATS.Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer GLENDALE - Wild alley cats would be trapped, neutered neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. , then released again under a plan the city is considering to tame its feral cat “Stray cat” redirects here. For the band, see Stray Cats. Feral cats are the descendants of domesticated cats that were abandoned by their owners or that strayed into wild areas from their homes. problem. No cost to taxpayers has been calculated for the program, which would also vaccinate vac·ci·nate v. To inoculate with a vaccine in order to produce immunity to an infectious disease such as diphtheria or typhus. vac the cats and rely on volunteers to feed them after their release. City Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday to consider the program once a complete plan, with dollar figures, has been drafted. ``There are a lot of people who want to save the ferals, and give them a second chance at life,'' said Glendale Humane Society spokeswoman Paulette Ramsay Wood. ``There are other people who don't want to have feral cat colonies all over the city.'' Feral cats are often viewed as a nuisance and health hazard health hazard Occupational safety Any agent or activity posing a potential hazard to health. Cf Physical hazard. , spreading disease to domestic house cats and overpopulating in the wild. If Glendale adopted a ``Treat, Neuter neu·ter adj. 1. Having undeveloped or imperfectly developed sexual organs. 2. Sexually undeveloped. n. A castrated animal. v. To castrate or spay. neuter 1. and Release'' program, it would become one of the few cities in the nation to handle its wild cat population without euthanasia. ``It would provide a humane way to deal with feral cats in the community,'' said Elaine Aguilar, assistant to the city manager, who drafted the report. The program's key drawback would be the cost of vaccinating and neutering neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. the wild cats, Aguilar said. Councilman Dave Weaver, who voted against the proposal, said he views the issue as a waste of time and worries that if it is passed, it would be a waste of money as well. ``There's a whole lot of issues way more important in this city, and we're getting into a high cost item,'' Weaver said. The plan is inconsistent with the way the city deals with other animals, he said. ``There's raccoons, possums and coyotes out there that we don't do this for. And there are domesticated do·mes·ti·cate tr.v. do·mes·ti·cat·ed, do·mes·ti·cat·ing, do·mes·ti·cates 1. To cause to feel comfortable at home; make domestic. 2. To adopt or make fit for domestic use or life. 3. a. cats being put to sleep every day because they aren't being adopted,'' Weaver said. Councilman Gus Gomez, who voted to take the issue further, said he would consider adopting a trap-and-release program if the city's next animal shelter operator wants to do it. ``My position is a compromise position,'' Gomez said. The city's ordinances now prohibit letting the cats freely roam the city's streets. That law would have to be changed for the trap-and-release program to work, Weaver said. |
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