[NatureNS] Vancouver has new "bird strategy"

From: "David Currie" <david_currie@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
References: <CAL4T0NxZFnr3B_ZPmxenDge14oFW48NSDW0HT2zdgF2-==049A@mail.gmail.com> <CAA6vO3ppRziNhVuVziU0CiRP4wEH7qBgUe-pn8iSNwCsJqt=4A@mail.gmail.com> <CAOK1_GbwMk=nG6NYi4b-yA259xyZkAyYUn+mYMUAp3epLczCUg@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 17:27:59 -0400
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Hi All

We sometimes get caught up with the estimated numbers quoted from EC or =
others as being totally accurate for some reason, though always =
expressed in an estimate or within a certain range. I don=E2=80=99t have =
to tell this group that science is based on fact with those facts =
extrapolated to give us some idea. Cod numbers, seal numbers, feral cat =
numbers etc. to make a comparison.  Is the number of birds really that =
important other than it=E2=80=99 a lot and getting worse as free-roaming =
 cats increase? Don=E2=80=99t we think that if we lose 350 million or =
100 or 70 million land birds/small animals to cats in Canada a year, =
it=E2=80=99s too many when we can avoid it? Do we always have to =
complain about collisions, habitat destruction etc. to lessen the guilt =
we have about our pet cat?

This is a human issue of attitude and it is important that we become =
more responsible for our cats as we have with dogs. Cats are doing what =
they are built to hunt extremely effectively and we are contributing to =
aiding an invasive species that has a direct impact on our natural =
wildlife.  Relegating our pet cats to the house doesn=E2=80=99t mean a =
life in the closet, and from what I understand from my friends, it =
develops a better =E2=80=9Cpet experience=E2=80=9D where they are not =
killed, shot at, poisoned, scarred or lost. On the wildlife side, we =
humans need to take some responsibility here and quit hiding behind the =
, my cat is =E2=80=9Ctoo old=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Ctoo fat=E2=80=9D, =
=E2=80=9Cdoesn=E2=80=99t climb trees=E2=80=9D, is a =E2=80=9Cbush =
cat=E2=80=9D, (I=E2=80=99ve heard that one) and =E2=80=9Cnever brings =
anything home=E2=80=9D attitude that relieves them of the guilt they =
have.

If we talk to the trap and neuter people, which I have, they are =
experiencing a huge growth of unwanted cats in NS, there are no =
resources to deal with it and a public attitude that pretty much =
encourages dumping them. Burnside Park in Dartmouth, the TN people say, =
has 1000 feral cats at a minimum as the SPCA (located there) has no room =
so the people open the car door and abandon them right there. They told =
me you could set a trap anywhere there and catch animals daily.

I suppose some roaming cats may very well develop a taste for rodents, =
and I guess selective enough to not include, chipmunks, young hare, =
meadow voles, Star-nosed Moles, amphibians or birds given the =
opportunity but we humans seem to believe that cats, in order to enjoy =
their lives, need to be outdoors. I am encouraged to see Vancouver take =
a stand.

ps...can someone tell me why keeping cats inside at night is an answer =
to the problem or is that point so the cat doesn=E2=80=99t get hurt as =
easily? =20

David Currie=20

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<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
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<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV=20
style=3D'FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: =
"Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; =
DISPLAY: inline'>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>Hi All</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>We sometimes get caught up with the estimated numbers quoted from =
EC or=20
others as being totally accurate for some reason, though always =
expressed in an=20
estimate or within a certain range. I don=E2=80=99t have to tell this =
group that science=20
is based on fact with those facts extrapolated to give us some idea. Cod =

numbers, seal numbers, feral cat numbers etc. to make a =
comparison.&nbsp; Is the=20
number of birds really that important other than it=E2=80=99 a lot and =
getting worse as=20
free-roaming&nbsp; cats increase? Don=E2=80=99t we think that if we lose =
350 million or=20
100 or 70 million land birds/small animals to cats in Canada a year, =
it=E2=80=99s too=20
many when we can avoid it? Do we always have to complain about =
collisions,=20
habitat destruction etc. to lessen the guilt we have about our pet =
cat?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>This is a human issue of attitude and it is important that we =
become more=20
responsible for our cats as we have with dogs. Cats are doing what they =
are=20
built to hunt extremely effectively and we are contributing to aiding an =

invasive species that has a direct impact on our natural wildlife.&nbsp; =

Relegating our pet cats to the house doesn=E2=80=99t mean a life in the =
closet, and from=20
what I understand from my friends, it develops a better =E2=80=9Cpet =
experience=E2=80=9D where=20
they are not killed, shot at, poisoned, scarred or lost. On the wildlife =
side,=20
we humans need to take some responsibility here and quit hiding behind =
the , my=20
cat is =E2=80=9Ctoo old=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Ctoo fat=E2=80=9D, =
=E2=80=9Cdoesn=E2=80=99t climb trees=E2=80=9D, is a =E2=80=9Cbush =
cat=E2=80=9D, (I=E2=80=99ve heard=20
that one) and =E2=80=9Cnever brings anything home=E2=80=9D attitude that =
relieves them of the=20
guilt they have.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>If we talk to the trap and neuter people, which I have, they are=20
experiencing a huge growth of unwanted cats in NS, there are no =
resources to=20
deal with it and a public attitude that pretty much encourages dumping =
them.=20
Burnside Park in Dartmouth, the TN people say, has 1000 feral cats at a =
minimum=20
as the SPCA (located there) has no room so the people open the car door =
and=20
abandon them right there. They told me you could set a trap anywhere =
there and=20
catch animals daily.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I suppose some roaming cats may very well develop a taste for =
rodents, and=20
I guess selective enough to not include, chipmunks, young hare, meadow =
voles,=20
Star-nosed Moles, amphibians or birds given the opportunity but we =
humans seem=20
to believe that cats, in order to enjoy their lives, need to be =
outdoors. I am=20
encouraged to see Vancouver take a stand.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>ps...can someone tell me why keeping cats inside at night is an =
answer to=20
the problem or is that point so the cat doesn=E2=80=99t get hurt as =
easily?&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>David Currie=20
<DIV=20
style=3D'FON