Garfield Hts. Has decided to enact a cat limit law that will allow residents to only have 3 cats. This will also limit people who rescue or foster to obey these rules as well. So if they already have 3 cats of their own, then they cannot foster any additional. There are quite a few foster homes in Garfield for various organizations and this new law is going to severely impact the foster homes available to rescue groups. Not to mention do absolutely nothing about the free roaming cats which are the problem.
This law was thought up by one council woman who said it was because of a number of strays on her street and her neighbors agreed with her. We brought before council different options to help stop the outdoor cats from reproducing like TNR and educating the public on spaying and neutering their pets. But then were told it was to stop hoarders from keeping large amounts of animals. There are Cruelty laws that take care of that! Yet this law grandfathers in the extra pets people have right now. I along with other residents in Garfield find this law arbitrary, unreasonable and discriminatory. Why are they going to punish good animal owners who keep their pets inside and have them altered? When they are not contributing to the outdoor cat population? What happened if someone has 3 cats and has to take in a relative that has one or two? They have to tell them to get rid of their pet, even if it is 8yrs old? That will be a death sentence to that beloved pet.
We want to tell Garfield to wake up! Limiting the number of indoor cats does absolutely nothing on the outdoor population we now have! Hoarders are going to horde not matter what the law says as we have seen in the past with the animal cruelty laws already in effect. TNR is the only way to reduce the number of cat we have now and will have in the years to come!
It will only be through constant unwavering persistence and pressure that the Garfield City Council will take note and act.
It's a simple matter to add a signature to a petition but you can do so much more to help.
Please send this petition to everyone you know who cares about animals and ask them to sign too.
The aim behind this petition is simply to request that the Garfield City Council rethink this new law and do away with it and instead set fourth a program that really works.
