Granite Shoals residents upset with proposals to euthanize, poison hundreds of feral cats
GRANITE SHOALS, Texas - Some people in Granite Shoals are upset with proposals to euthanize and poison hundreds of feral cats. It has prompted the Hill Country Humane Society to cut ties with the city of Granite Shoals.
"It’s a burden to the town, and I’m looking for expediency. Long story short, I would be in favor of euthanizing and euthanizing as many as quickly as possible," audio from Granite Shoals Wildlife Advisory Committee.
Audio from the city’s wildlife advisory committee meeting last month revealed plans to get feral cat colonies under control.
"This is going to sound bad. Poison food, could you somehow round them up in a mass cage or something like that? I don’t think they are that easy to round up," audio from Granite Shoals Wildlife Advisory Committee.
The committee can be heard saying there is a $5,000 budget for the trap. Spaying and neutering the cats is just a band-aid to the situation.
"The only authorized legal process for euthanizing is a 22 round in the back of the head. We have a location on this property that's called Deer Heaven that I'm sure could be kitty cat Heaven, too, if we had," audio from Granite Shoals Wildlife Advisory Committee.
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The audio sparked outrage across the community and brought dozens to Tuesday night's city council meeting, where a member of the wildlife advisory committee addressed the recording.
"Whether or not you like what we are charged with exploring and speaking about, you heard no laughing, you heard no joking, no snickering in our discussions. You heard hard questions and concerns, you heard brainstorming, you heard very detailed statements," said the chair of Granite Shoals Wildlife Advisory Committee, Todd Holland.
"Like everyone else, I was horrified by the contents of the recordings that came out. And even though those comments did not make the list of the committee's recommendations to council, the recorded comments point to their intent, and they said as much during the meeting," says Granite Shoals resident Kelly Porterfield.
The Hill Country Humane Society has parted ways with the city stating, "While we greatly value our city and county partnerships, we simply cannot standby quietly and allow this type of behavior to occur without a response". The humane society will still accept animals from the citizens of Granite Shoals.
While the police department says they are working on a spay and neuter program, they had no involvement in the meeting.
"The police department wasn’t part of those discussions. We are not participating in what was discussed in those meetings. We are not executing cats, we are not trapping them or shooting them. That is not something that this department ever wants to pursue. If that is the route they want to take, we are not going to participate in that. If we do find out that people are doing that, they will be charged with cruelty to animals," says Sgt. Andrew Kos with Granite Shoals Police Department.