• Long-term solution to feral cats • ‘Pests’ battling for their rights • Tell the world of feral cats Long-term solution to feral cats I wish to thank everyone who has contacted me about my letter (TGI, July 12) which mentioned our
• Long-term solution to feral cats • ‘Pests’ battling for their rights • Tell the world of feral cats
Long-term solution to feral cats
I wish to thank everyone who has contacted me about my letter (TGI, July 12) which mentioned our Rotary Club of Poipu Beach donating $500 for catch cages. It seems the concern is that if the person who catches the animal doesn’t wish to or can’t pay for spaying the animal, it is put to sleep. There is a way to solve this problem in the short run. If the county is so interested in spending a great deal of money trying to regulate feral cats then it should put the money where it will do the most good. 1) Create a $5,000 grant for the Kauai Humane Society. 2) Create a program to be handled by the Feral Cat Society which will provide applications to those who qualify and wish to catch the animals. 3) Those with completed and verified applications will bring the animal to the Humane Society. 4) Animal will be released alive and well. 5) This fund can accommodate 165 neuterings. That will save at least 1,650 new kittens from being born which could become 16,000 cats in two years. It’s a start.
Bob Bartolo
RCPB past president
‘Pests’ battling for their rights
In response to Tom Rice’s letter (TGI, July 6, “Pesticides are what we should fear”) Mr. Rice relates his weariness of reading daily of “the battle involving Westside seed companies (creeping into the Koloa area?), BMO, pesticides, lawsuits, ordinances, etc.”
Good article Mr. Rice, you stand not alone. According to this writer’s Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1981, it defines “pesticide” as follows; “an agent used to destroy pests.”
That is all it states! Question now is: what’s the definition of a “pest” on Kauai? Perhaps it’s “we, the people,” who make this island our home; “pesty varmints” wishing to live in an environment free of irresponsible uses of “agents (poisons) used to endanger the health and welfare of our total population on Kauai plus its visitors; to destroy pests” like Mr. Rice, this writer, our families, even the economic engine keeping our island alive: tourism.
Does it not seem odd that our County of Kauai governing body shows no concern or thought over two issues: the health and well-being of our general population and a secondary issue that could jeopardize or annihilate several billions of dollars of tourism infrastructure, job providing opportunities, personal property values and a contributing tax base? Mindless approval seems to have been prevailed over a couple of billionaires unproven, mere $17 million “toy dairy farm?” Was any responsible thought given to this project or was it just paid for consent?
Consider this: a dairy farm with questionable hazardous waste issues and negative environmental potentials being allowed to be sited into a location which may qualify to be labeled as a “hazmat” waste depository. No one knows for sure because our state Department of Health, Kauai’s prosecuting attorney and mayor’s office refuse to investigate this very strong probability. Yet, that’s another issue that needs dealing with — elected government agencies selling out to international billionaire investment groups (I-BIG’s). Kauai needs to vote for new thoughts and responsible leadership.
John Hoff
Lawai
Tell the world of feral cats
I love Kauai, and I would like to get the details on the lethal culling of cats on the island. It’s very difficult to put my head around this. Actually, I’m stunned. I have contacted PETA and expect to hear back from them soon about the details. I am a Mainland journalist/author and I’d like to tell this story to the rest of the world so they can decided for themselves how to digest this issue and if they’d like to boycott Kauai, or if they think nothing of it.
Sally Richards
San Diego
