Attempts to deal with feral cats caused a minor uproar at a Chattanooga apartment complex when residents feared a pest control company had trapped and killed a pet cat.
That absolutely was not the case, according to Karen Walsh, executive director of the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center.
“There’s no terrible thing going on here, but the pest control company should have contacted us before they started trapping and should have brought the cats here,” Ms. Walsh said.
Instead, Lookout Pest Control Vice President Chad Haney said the six cats trapped over the past week at Rustic Village Apartments in Brainerd were taken to families and new homes.
“I was just trying to do the right thing and find them an actual home instead of taking them to an animal shelter where more than likely — 99 percent chance — they’ll be euthanized,” Mr. Haney said.
Ms. Walsh said the incident is indicative of the public’s concern for animals, but also it’s lack of understanding about Chattanooga’s animal ordinance, which states that found or trapped animals be taken to McKamey Center.
She said no citations will be filed in this case.
“Our first job is education before enforcement,” she said.
Lentz Reynolds, the apartment complex’s manager, said he was surprised about the complaints over the trapping, since feral cats have been a long-standing problem.
“I’ve received hundreds of complaints annually of cats scratching cars, using the restroom on people’s porches, being nuisances,” he said.
If you find a stray* Post fliers in the neighborhood* Post online pet lost and found notices* Call McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center at 305-6900* Call the Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga at 624-5302Source: Animal control officials
He estimated the colony of feral cats around the complex at about 40, and said he knew some residents regularly feed the wild cats.
“I have two guys who go around every day picking up trash, and they’ve picked up cat cans,” Mr. Reynolds said. “I’ve picked up plates of food by the pool where people are feeding cats. I’ve sent letters requesting they stop feeding cats.”
Mr. Reynolds said he sent out notices telling residents about the upcoming trapping and suggesting they keep their pet cats indoors.
Neither he nor Mr. Haney believe any of the trapped cats was a missing pet that one resident told Ms. Walsh she feared was taken.
“The cat that was described (by the resident) was not any of the cats that were trapped,” Mr. Reynolds said.
Ms. Walsh said she is still checking out the missing cat complaint, but she said the whole problem could have been avoided had the trapped animals been brought to McKamey Center.