Can Greater Victoria municipalities be purr-suaded to start licensing their cats?
The Victoria Natural History Society hopes so.
The 750-member society has sent letters to 13 municipalities in Greater Victoria asking them to consider covering cats under animal control regulations.
B次元官网网址淐ats that roam free, whether owned, stray or feral, often lead short, traumatic and painful lives,B次元官网网址� the letter reads. B次元官网网址淭hey also kills birds and other wildlife, and spread disease to other cats, wildlife and humans.B次元官网网址�
The society recommends that domestic cats should be licensed and vaccinated against rabies as well as confined to their ownerB次元官网网址檚 property or physically restrained when off the premises.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Nearly 60 feral cats caught in one B.C. neighbourhood
It also recommends cats should be spayed/neutered if over six months of age unless the owner has an annual intact permit, breederB次元官网网址檚 permit or the cat requires medical exemptions.
Phil Lambert, the societyB次元官网网址檚 president, said many studies show that domestic cats kill millions of birds across North America. He said the society advocates for nature and local species and cats pose a threat to them.
B次元官网网址淪ome people defend cats by saying they kill rats too,B次元官网网址� Lambert said. B次元官网网址淏ut they are often bringing birds to the front or back door of your home.B次元官网网址�
Out of the 13 districts they have contacted, Lambert said the society has heard back from about five of them stating they have received the letter.
Claudia Copley sits on the Victoria Natural History Society board and has been advocating for control over domestic cats for about a decade.
She said controlling cats is an important issue that can be easily fixed through licensing and not allowing them to roam free.
READ MORE: 111 cats surrendered by one person to BC SPCA
B次元官网网址淔rom a cat-loverB次元官网网址檚 perspective, I think the cat is safer and less vulnerable if inside,B次元官网网址� Copley said. B次元官网网址淵ou wouldnB次元官网网址檛 put it at risk by letting it free-roam.B次元官网网址�
Copley noted that dogs are not allowed to free-roam the same way cats are.
According to the , the province has a pet overpopulation problem with thousands of kittens being born every day. Spaying and neutering cats can help reduce the problem.
Domestic cats that free-roam and arenB次元官网网址檛 spayed or neutered also contribute to the feral cat problem, according to Copley.
B次元官网网址淸Feral cats] sometimes start off as dumped cats,B次元官网网址� Copley said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an indication of how we undervalue cats.B次元官网网址�
Copley and Lambert both said they would like to see the Capital Regional District introduce bylaws to help control cats in order to keep them and the surrounding wildlife safe.
They mention other cities such as Calgary do not allow cats to be at large and recommend keeping cats indoors.
B次元官网网址淚 would love it if as a whole the CRD adopted the same bylaws as other places and educated others about the free roaming and feral cat problem,B次元官网网址� Copley said.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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