Feral Cat Problem at Gilbert Riparian Preserve

[rally_toad]

Calling Gilbert Residents and Gilbert Riparian Preserve Visitors. I have provided a link to an AZ republic article on the feral cat problem at the preserve, and below is a forwarded email I received from a good friend from PeFo and a frequent visitor to the Riparian Preserve.

Below the link is the email from Mike Evans, Conservation Director, Desert Rivers Aubudon Society.

The gist is that I'm posting here because I'm figuring that most Arizona hikers are just as interested in native species conservation as I am. As per the email, if you're a Riparian Preserve frequenter or a Gilbert Resident please email the town council and let them know that you support the removal of the rest of the cats that are roaming the Riparian Preserve. The Housecats are likely already the culprit for knocking out one native from the Preserve, the Burrowing Owl. Its been many years since I've seen a burrowing owl there, and other birders are saddened by the loss of what was a healthy owl population.

Anyway if you PM me I will send you the letter I wrote, which you can use as a template, but obviously change some things like name and such.

The email address for the mayor of Gilbert and all gilbert councilmembers is CouncilMembers@gilbertaz.gov

Thanks!

http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilb ... nsion.html

Starting right before Thanksgiving and stopping right before Christmas, Desert
Rivers Audubon volunteers assisted Riparian Preserve employees in trapping and
removing feral cats from the preserve. Trapped cats were taken to the Arizona
Humane Society. The traps were donated by Audubon Arizona, Maricopa Audubon
Society, and Desert Rivers Audubon. We trapped 26 cats, of which only two were
sterilized, a dismal 8%, and proof of failure at TNR by the feral cat
supporters. Feral cat supporters asked for and have received a pause in the
trapping until 1/18/11 to trap and remove the rest of the cats. On Jan. 18th,
the town and Audubon volunteers return to trapping and will remove any food
left behind by the cat people.


This has caused the Mayor and Council to be inundated with email, phone calls
and letters by pro-cat people. We need the birding community across the state
to respond likewise and let the elected officials know that you support
trapping and removing all cats from the preserve and that you desire a policy
to keep them, and all other kinds of pet dumping victims, out of the preserve.


If this ends up before the town council (likely), we would like an overwhelming
show of support from the birding community to not allow a feral cat colony to
be maintained at the preserve. We are also requesting that if you have any
photos of cats taking birds at the preserve, to please share a copy with your
favorite Desert River Audubon member so that they may be shown to elected
officials as proof of the bird kill by cats. Also, if you visit the preserve,
please document the number of cats you see, and please document, in any manner
(photos are best!), the stalking or killing of birds by the cats.


Please send any response off the list serve. Thanks for your support.

Mike Evans
Gilbert, AZ
Conservation Director,
Desert Rivers Audubon Society

[Tough_Boots]

[nonot]

Isn't the open sewage/airborne diseases more of a concern to hikers? ( I for one will not be hiking anywhere near the Riparian) and How does a city that size get away with dumping their wastewater in an open area?

@Willowdances

Open sewage? For someone criticizing others, you don't seem to have your facts straight either.

[Vaporman]

How does a city that size get away with dumping their wastewater in an open area?

First off, we're not a city, it's the Town of Gilbert. That water is of course treated from the nearby water treatment plant and doesn't have a sewer stench it it... And who in there right mind wants their local park/riparian reserve overrun by feral cats? :roll: Those stinking cats can go lick themselves in someone else's backyard!!!

[BobP]

I'm gonna start a new video Feral Cats Gone Wild

Feral cats in reign of terror
Local News 17 Mar 11 @ 09:46am by Suzanne Dorfield
MOOROOKA: Feral cats ``the size of dogs’’ have been terrorising Moorooka residents for more than a year, with one resident and her dog mauled just last week.

Residents of Lincoln St say they have been scratched, bitten, hissed at and intimidated several times by the cat pack.

They say they asked five times to have the cats removed, but were told by Brisbane City Council that they would have to set traps and remove the cats themselves.

But now the council is taking steps to have the cats rounded up.

A spokesperson said the cats had an owner who was surrendering some of them to council shelters for rehoming. Residents maintain however that some of the cats are wild.

Part-time carer Marlene Jans was taking her five-month-old fox terrier for a walk last Monday when two of the huge felines attacked the pair.

``I was crossing the road, it was dark and I couldn’t see them,’’ Ms Jans said.

``Then, bam, one came at my dog, one came at me.

``One was biting my leg. I went for my dog because she was screaming.

``I had to kick them away. I was really scared and I was dripping blood.’‘

Her wound later became infected and she is now terrified to venture out at night.

Resident Kenneth Belsham said the cats had wandered through his yard and onto his porch, and they caused hygiene problems.

``They’ve created quite a stink, they pee everywhere and they smell,’’ he said.

``I’ve seen at least eight. They shouldn’t be here, they’re feral. The big ones will have a go at you.’‘

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said the council had a responsibility to detain dangerous animals.

``In a suburb you often get large numbers of cats that grew up together and they go to where people feed them.’’

He said it was now the breeding season for cats.

[PLC92084]

Feral Cats Gone Wild

R --- Isn't this a bit like the Dept. of Redundancy Dept!?

...and depending on content, I want a DVD once they roll out

[Alston_Neal]

This thread has eaten into my subconscious.
I was up in Pinetop the other day and saw the Ferel Gas truck. I look at it much differently now.. ;)

[azbackpackr]

This thread has eaten into my subconscious.
I was up in Pinetop the other day and saw the Ferel Gas truck. I look at it much differently now.. ;)

Okay, I know it's Ferrell, but never thought of it that way before!

Don't you love the way they talk? They'll "have a go at you," etc. I would love to go to Australia!

[Sredfield]

And you think cats are a problem:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43066843/ns ... vironment/

[PLC92084]

Camel Hair coats are popular... Maybe there's a business opportunity there. Can't really say the same about Kitty Couture... ;)

[big_load]

Camels probably make excellent cat food.

[Alston_Neal]

Ahhh how refreshing, come into work and open my favorite thread.
Ironically as I type this I'm watching a feral cat across from my gallery.
Dang gun laws!

[Tough_Boots]

come into work and open my favorite thread.

I feel more like I'm being haunted by this thread. Can you put a restraining order on forum topics? ;)

[Alston_Neal]

Well you made me do it..





After a tedious search on the interweb..





I found a photo of a kitty barbecue..




Warning....





Very graphic....

[Sredfield]

:worthy:

[azbackpackr]

The big question is, what is being cooked? I know it LOOKS like chicken, but...

[Alston_Neal]

@azbackpackr
Jeeez Duh!
Can you say Chihuahua?...

[chumley]

This thread hasn't seen activity in a while and I read this interesting article today out of Colorado which I originally thought was leaning toward a more sinister human-plot to eliminate pets:

Series Of Mysterious Cat Disappearances In Lakewood
August 16, 2011 5:27 PM
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) – Some people in Lakewood are worried after a series of mysterious cat disappearances.

About a dozen cats have vanished over the past few months near the Denver Federal Center and neighbors are worried the worst may be yet to come.

“I see a cat’s paw; the whole paw,” Diana Sequin said. “It just killed me. I just cried and got on my knees.”

Sequin, an owner of four cats, was devastated last week after finding part of her neighbor’s cat in her yard. It was one of many mysterious pet disappearances in her Lakewood neighborhood at Taft and West Dakota Drive.

“It’s just a sad, sad thing,” she said.

Neighbors say they’ve lost several pets over the last few weeks. Many have put up posters hoping for the animals’ safe return.

“We have raccoons, coyotes and foxes. Sometimes larger animals like lions and bears do come into town,” Jennifer Churchill with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.

Churchill believes there’s an easy explanation for the mystery. She says animals like foxes and coyotes are everywhere in Colorado. They prey on smaller animals, especially in the summer.

“They’re out there looking for prey items and teaching their young how to hunt. So if there are loose cats out there, unfortunately they could be become part of the process,” Churchhill said.

Curtis Moore has lost three cats, including his cat, Walter, who’s hind leg was found by his next door neighbor.

“I don’t live in the mountains, I live in the city. I’m ok with wildlife, but I don’t like them eating my pets,” Moore said.

As the posters multiply in her neighborhood, Sequin walks her cat on a leash. Other neighbors have serious questions about the mysterious animals roaming their streets.

“When they run out of pets, what are they going to attack then?” Moore said.

Wildlife experts say to be totally safe, unsupervised pets should never be allowed to run loose outside.

[hippiepunkpirate]

I like this statement:

I don’t live in the mountains, I live in the city.

People think that just because they live in the suburbs, it means that they are in the city. The reality is that the suburbs are often in the interface between the city and wildlands, and neighborhoods are often displacing land that was formerlly important habitat for wildlife. Lakewood, Colorado is in fact right at the footsteps of the Front Range of the Rockies, and a mere 3 miles from the nearest section of mountain preserve.

[chumley]

Speaking of which, I saw one of the Tempe neighborhood foxes the other day. 12th St just west of Mill Ave. Really cool. I think there's a thread on that in the forum somewhere...

edit: lol. apparently it's a thread I started. No wonder I vaguely remember it! viewtopic.php?f=44&t=5529

[azbackpackr]

Has Alston moved to CO?