Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this
important topic.
Please know that I appeared before the Petaluma
City Council on October 19, 2009 and voiced my objection to the City of
Petaluma's practice of killing feral cats - it's unacceptable.
In addition, that evening I shared with the
Council that as a life long rural Penngrove resident and ranch owner
I've learned the important role feral cats play in minimizing the
rodent population that can cause extensive damage to hay crops produced
here on the ranch. The use of poison to address this issue is not
an option.
My personal offer to the Petaluma City Council
that night was to adopt up to a half dozen feral cats for a safe
and productive life here at the ranch on adobe road. I still
believe this is a viable option and a great opportunity for the
City of Petaluma to develop a program with rural County property
owners to adopt feral cats.
It wasn't until a few weeks ago I finally
received a call from Petaluma's Animal Shelter that a male feral cat
would soon be available. With the help of Patricia Boyd of the
Save Our Feral Cats organization "lucky" was transported to a new home
on adobe road in Penngrove. You should know the animal shelter's Jeff
Charter and staff did a fantastic job in terms of preparing the
cat for adoption and made every effort to care for the cat and help me
prepare for its safe transportation to my ranch. These City
employees are to be commended for their attention to detail.
I am pleased to share with you "lucky" is doing
great and has a home where no one will ever be a threat to his
life.
Therefore, my vote is NO,
I will not support an ordinance in any form that states: "Feral
cats are a public nuisance and any person feeding or maintaining a
feral cat in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County is committing a
violation of the code and the violation may be prosecuted as a criminal
offense, unless the person is a member of an authorized feral cat care
organization."
I was disappointed to see that on the night
of October 19, 2009, Petaluma City Council members David
Rabbitt, Mike Healy, David Glass, Tiffany Renee, and Mayor Pam Torliatt
took the position that they had to pass the ordinance because of
environmental mitigations placed upon them when Petaluma's Ellis Creek
Waste-Water Plant was approved. This ordinance is inhumane,
unethical, irresponsible and is a waste of taxpayers money. The
public and the cats deserve more from elected officials.
In closing, I hope the Mayor and Petaluma City
Council members reconsider their options and change their attitudes
along with existing public policy on this important issue. Enough
is enough.
Signed,
John E. King
763-7023
-----
Original Message -----
Senior Advisory
Committee 
Pat
Broderick
Chris
Mazzia
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