By Joe Ratliff
I have lived in Grass Valley in Humboldt County for almost 11 years and I have seen a steady increase in the number of feral cats. I have adopted and feed as many as I can, as do many of my neighbors. I have personally spent significant sums of money to live-trap feral cats, have them neutered and spayed and then released. Many of my neighbors have done the same thing.
I called Tom Fransway, county commissioner, who I know personally, to discuss the problem. I asked why the county refuses to take cats (domestic and feral) into Animal Control, much less deal with attempting to manage the significant feral cat problem county-wide. He did not know why or how this situation became county policy. He suggested that I file a "Nuisance Complaint" which would require that the county and/or commissioners would have to review the problem.
I filed the complaint with the county clerk's office, together with signatures from a number of neighbors, almost a year ago.
To this date, the county has not responded officially to the complaint. Months ago, I went to the courthouse and I was told by the county clerk, Tami Spero, that the complaint had been routed to Michael Macdonald, the district attorney, for a legal interpretation.
I talked to Michael Macdonald, and he said he was looking into the matter and would get back to me in the near future. That was more than six months ago. He has not called me back, refuses to return my phone calls, will not respond to e-mail inquiries or even speak with me on two occasions when I appeared at his office.
In the mean time, the county-wide feral cat problem is still here. These poor animals are being shot, poisoned, run over by cars, killed by domestic dogs and left to suffer many life-threatening diseases, malnutrition and starvation. Many taxpaying citizens, like myself, are spending their own dollars to feed, shelter and sterilize large numbers of both domestic and feral cats. Humboldt County's complete disregard of this matter is not only unfair to its citizens, but it is inhumane, animal abuse and just plain cruel neglect.
Many Humboldt County residents must drive all the way to Lovelock because the Pershing County Animal Control Shelter does accept cats.
I call upon the county commissioners, the district attorney and all other responsible citizens to direct their attention to solving this shameful situation. At a minimum, we need a low-cost animal clinic, manned by local vets and volunteers, which could provide immediate medical services, spaying and neutering. If this is impossible, then the county should, at least, reimburse citizens for what they personally spend on feral cats, or give them a property tax reduction.
Joe Ratliff is a resident of Grass Valley (Humboldt County).
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