Re: Death by the numbers, ON Nature Winter 2013
One of my social websites carried a petition against South Stormont Township, attacking a “Cat By-law” and claiming to have already more than 12,000 signatures. They seem to especially want people to keep feeding feral cats.
I am an old guy, a nature lover; supporter of several environmental and wildlife organizations. I have read that domestic and feral cats kill an estimated 80 billion birds and small animals in North America each year. As a boy in Northwestern Ontario, my father on summer evenings would take me trout fishing to a creek in the woods. I remember the bird songs, and the many species of warbler and other birds. Where are they now? Many migrating birds are killed by TV towers and guy wires. These birds need all the help we can offer. And feral cats they don’t need in any municipality.
Some people believe that any petition is worthy, and will sign without thinking. I remember one radio announcer, on the question of cats killing birds, using the argument “Well, they are just being cats!” One could apply the same logic to bedbugs.
– John N. Boulter, Ottawa