An open letter to Petaluma Mayor
 Pamela Torliatt

 In response to the Feral Cat Meeting of February 8, 2008
Organized by the  Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee

Madam Mayor;

If you will remember I contacted you on January 23, and I asked you to help facilitate a presentation I wanted to give about feral cats at the City of Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee special meeting of February 8, 2008.  You advised me to contact shelter Manager, Nancee Tavares.  Nancee referred me to Advisory Committee Chair, Charlie Reinhart.  Charlie was adamant.  She would not give me more than three minutes to speak and would not allow me to share time with someone else.  Therefore, I canceled my plan for a nine minute presentation, which I think, could have help feral cats and their caretakers.  The presentation I planned could not be divided in several sections as Charlie suggested I could possibly do.

However, they allowed the group responsible for sliding in the inhumane feral cat ordinance of 2004, the ordinance that also punishes care givers, a 21 minute presentation.  A City of Petaluma employee gave a 21 minute presentation under a false pretense about the new water recycling facility, but in reality the presentation was another attack on feral cats.

Bob Dyer, who served on the Feral Cat Committee for the City of Petaluma and drafted the 2004  ordinance was allowed more than three minutes, and other members of his group were permitted to give their time to Bob Dyer - when the Chair previously told me they would not allow it. 
 
During my three minute comments, the Chair of the Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee interrupted me and  questioned the credibility of the facts I presented.  So, I did not finish my comments.  This type of intimidation I have witnessed at regular City of Petaluma  Animal Advisory Committee meetings, where either members of the committee or City Petaluma employees often interrupt guest speakers.  I think the City of Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee should listen to everyone with concern to animal welfare and no one should be intimidated nor discouraged from voicing their concerns.

As you know, Madam Mayor, I have brought out many issues of concern to the City of Petaluma.  Each issue called for a response to redress inhumane treatment to a person or animal.  Since moving to Petaluma thirty five years ago, I have witnessed many cases of cruelty to the elderly, to animals and recently open discrimination targeting a minority group.  I am not an animal activist.  I am a humanitarian and I don't think it was by accident that I landed in Petaluma thirty five years ago.  The silence following each case of concern was desperately deafening.  The past thirty years, I have devoted my entire life to improving the lives of the less fortunate.  The City of Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee could not give me nine minutes to speak for the least fortunate of all, the feral cats.

I have told you before, I videotaped and recorded the November 2007 City of Petaluma Animal Advisory Meeting and what I have on tape is telling and very disturbing.  I have brought that up to you and other City of Petaluma Council members a few months ago, but it seems to get no attention.   It appears that the City of Petaluma Animal Control employees does not have to answer to anyone.

What I did not get to say at the meeting of last Friday, is that we should look into a permanent solution to address the feral cat overpopulation.  Instead of an ordinance that only addresses the end result, we need to go to the source and work our way through.  Feral cats are the result of human negligence  and only humans have the brain to fix this.  Just as we will never see a cat knocking at vets' door asking to be neutered, we will never find a solution unless we address it realistically and honestly.

Here is what I suggest: Spay and neuter all kittens and puppies at an early age.  (Allowing exception for responsible licenced breeders)  Animals who are already here and reverted to the wild due to our negligence should be treated humanly.  TNR is the only humane and effective way to insure they will not reproduce. 

To kill cats at the animal shelter or shoot them a couple times a year in the field, is cruel and inhumane.  It does not solve anything because there are more cats abandoned and multiplying every day.  We, supposedly the intelligent beings, keep on killing years, after years, after years. 

I cannot express enough how urgently we need to address this.  Your previous reply that this should be addressed at the Petaluma Animal Advisory Committee is not a reasonable answer because to my observation, I noted only one person or perhaps two on the committee without a personal agenda. 
 
I hope to hear meaningful answers from you and other members of the City Council very soon.   Thank you for your time and consideration.


Respectfully,


Marcelle E.  Guy
Petaluma Feral Cats

City of Petaluma Animal Services Advisory Committee Meeting:   
Wednesday August 6, 2008    7:00pm
Lucchesi Center
320 No. McDowell Blvd
Petaluma, California 94954
707-778-4396
Update:  August 10, 2008

It is a small victory and now it is up to Petaluma City Council.


August 27, 2008


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