Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 18, 1993 TAG: 9303180551
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WHY CAT LICENSING IS NEEDED
AM INCREASINGLY frustrated by comments, editorials and articles concerning the new cat law. I am finally realizing that we have a long way to go towards educating the public on the advantages of better animal laws.Many localities already handle, and are forced to kill, more cats than dogs. The Roanoke Valley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals alone killed more than 4,000 cats last year, outnumbering dogs by at least 2,000. These statistics hold true in many areas throughout Virginia.
Animal-control agencies receive numerous calls regarding cats that are a nuisance to neighbors, complaints concerning property damage, bite reports that result in quarantine, and concerns about the spread of disease from stray and "barn" cats to pets and people.
Many facilities currently have no place for cats to be quarantined in bite cases for rabies observation. State law already mandates that this be done and that all dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies at 4 months old.
How can many localities continue in not enforcing what has been state law for several years? Licensing would provide the funding needed to enforce the current and new law. The burden should be shared equally by dog and cat owners alike, not just dog owners. If we can't regulate, we can't protect them or the public and can't reduce the numbers that are being killed. Licensing would allow for differential fees, encouraging reduction in breeding and roaming.
Every local government needs to provide the best possible animal program it can for the sake of the public's health, safety, and the quality of life for people and animals.
TAMMY JAVIER\ Director, Humane Investigator Roanoke Valley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals\ ROANOKE