Should people in Wisconsin be permitted to hunt down and kill free-roaming cats? Residents of the state are voting on that very scary question. The advisory results will then go to Wisconsin’s Natural Resources Board. From the Associated Press:
La Crosse firefighter Mark Smith, 48, helped spearhead the cat-hunting proposal. He wants Wisconsin to declare free-roaming wild cats an unprotected species, just like skunks or gophers. Anyone with a small-game license could shoot the cats at will….
Every year in Wisconsin alone, an estimated 2 million wild cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds, according to state officials. Despite the astounding numbers, Smith’s plan has been met with fierce opposition from cat lovers.
Critics of Smith’s idea organized Wisconsin Cat-Action Team and developed a Web site – dontshootthecat.com. Some argue it is better to trap wild cats, spay or neuter them, before releasing them.
Link (Thanks, Sly!)