Letter to The Editor
August 17 – 21 août , St-Albert
Cats: Do not blame the
animals, blame the owners
The Editor,
continue.Dramaticandpositiveresultshave
In response to the recent newspaper
beenproveneffective. Somany townsacross
articles about the Town of Hawkesbury
Ontario have become involved in this
proposing a new By-law #46-2011
program. Why not Hawkesbury or is this
prohibiting the feeding of wild animals
town totally uncaring and insensitive
and certain birds, this is an unacceptable
towards helpless animals? I think it’s time
solution to ending the homeless/feral cat
that this town starts showing some
crisis in Hawkesbury.
compassion, and interest in its residents
The term “wildlife” refers to such
(human or animal) don’t you? A caring and
animals as foxes, skunks, raccoons and
compassionatecommunityattracts tourism,
wolves because that’s exactly what they
not neglect of its inhabitants.
are,wildandnotferal.Abobcatormountain
Even our Prime Minister and his wife
lion is considered “wildlife” but a feral cat
loveandsupport thecatsonParliamentHill.
is a domestic cat that has been lost or
Check the “Cats of Parliament Hill”website
abandoned and forced to return to living
andyou’ll seehowwell their catsare treated.
on the streets. But they are not wildlife.
It’s a tourist attraction that is continuously
Imposing a fine of $200 on anyone who
cared for on a daily basis by volunteers. The
choosestofeedhomeless/feralcatsistotally
people love it.
unacceptable and an act of neglect and
I doagree that pet owners dohave to start
animal cruelty.
taking full responsibility by having their
We all know that this new proposed
pets sterilized and to keep them identified
bylaw is directed towards fixing the
with a collar and name tag with the address
homeless cat problem and has nothing to
or phone number on it, or have their pet(s)
do with other wildlife. I mean seriously,
micro-chipped especially if their pets are
when was there ever a complaint made
used to being outdoors. You can’t lock up
about anyone feeding stray bears on their
every cat in the neighbourhood but you can
property?
take precautions toprotect them. So the next
If this proposed by-law is passed and
time you complain, don’t blame the cats,
becomeslaw,thesehomelesscatswillstarve
blame the pet owners. Cats only do what
and become far more susceptible to illness
comes natural and don’t know any better.
and disease andwill continue to breed and
People do! Pet owners need to take full
thatmeansmorehomeless/feral catsbeing
responsibility for their pets. The cats will
born in our community. That is not the
live happier, healthier lives and they will
solution to controlling the cat population.
rewardyouwithyearsofunconditional love
Thatwillonlyforcethemtodieofstarvation
which is also very therapeutic.
which is a long and painful death.
Become part of the compassionate
Therearemoreseriouspredatorslurking
solution to end feline homelessness by
around in our neighbourhood that need a
putting the word “human” back in humane
lotmore attention and feral cats are not one
anddotheright thing.Toshowyour support
of them. But yet people are complaining
for the TSNR program please call Mayor
about feral cats! Oh my God! Get a life,
RenéBerthiaumeat (613) 632-0106, ext. 2224,
people! Why do you think the community
or
send
him
an
at:
is so full of stray and feral cats in the first
rberthiaume@hawkesbury.ca.
place? Yes, there is a big problemwith cats
“The greatness of a nation and its moral
over-populating the community, butwhy?
progresscanbejudgedbythewayitsanimals
It’s becauseunconcernedpet owners allow
are treated.”
their pets to go roaming around the
We could all learn a lot from the famous
community un-spayed and un-neutered.
wordsquotedbyMahatmaGhandi.Notruer
People seecute littlekittens in thepet stores
words have ever been spoken.
and buy them and then decide that they
May God protect Man from himself, and
don’twantthemanymoreanddiscardthem
animals from man.
like trash.
L. L EMAY , H AWKESBURY
Whydopeoplebothergettingananimal
if theyaren’t going to treat it like familyand
give it the love and respect it deserves?
Ensemble Hémiole
Cats and dogs are the most loving and
affectionate animal on the planet yet they
Concert
get blamed for human stupidity.
What else can we do as a caring and
The Hémiole vocal ensemble will
responsible community to help these
entertain in five languages Saturday,
homeless and now starving animals of
September 10 at 8 p.m. at the Centre
Hawkesbury? These animals are not
CommunautaireCampbell,2710,route148,
hurting anyone and are only looking for
Pointe-au-Chêne.
food and shelter to survive and protect
ý”Au fil de l’eau” (“Carried by the
their young. People who complain
Current”) will feature Canadian and
obviously have nothing better to do with
Québec folk songs, contemporary Québec
their time and are actually contributing to
ballads and several pieces from the French
the problem because they have no
Romantic period. The choir will be singing
compassion whatsoever for them even
in French, English, Latin, Huron and
though they too are God’s creatures.
Hungarian. Many of the songs have a
Asaconcernedcitizenfor thewell-being
watery theme, an appropriate enough
of these cats, I suggest that it’s about time
subject following this spring of abundant
thattheMunicipalCouncilandMayorRené
rain and rising rivers. Don’t forget the
Berthiaume become part of a positive and
monthly brunch Sunday, August 28, from
humane solutionandshowcompassion for
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For info : Campbell
thesepoorabandoned,homeless,neglected
CommunityCenter at819-242-3232orLyne
andsometimesabusedcatsandtakeastand
PASSEPORT FESTIVAL (tout inclus): 65$
at 819-242-2378.
towards the people’s ignorance when it
BILLETS DISPONIBLES : Fromagerie St-Albert, Marché St-Albert, Caisse Nouvel-Horizon, Caisse populaire de Hawkesbury et de Cornwall, Caisse populaire Trillium de Rockland et de Limoges, Cheddar Et Cetera (Orléans) et en vente sur notre site Web.
comestoirresponsiblepetownership.Don’t
Silent
blame the cats by starving them to death
with the town’s new proposed By-law.
auction
Visitez notre site Web pour les prix des billets. Visit our website for ticket prices.
Starvation is not the solution. It’s only
themeans tomuch larger andmore serious
TheMacdonell-WilliamsonHousec1817,
problems.PerhapsthemoneythattheTown
25 des Outaouais Rd., Chute-à-Blondeau,
festivaldelacurd.com curdfestival.com
collects from issuing annual dog licences
hosts Saturday, August 13 from noon to 5
couldbeusedtowardssupportingtheTSNR
p.m. a silent auction. Sunday, August 14, at
program in our community. The only
2 p.m., a Pointe-Fortune get-togetherwill be
humane solution is to allow the (TSNR)
held. For information: 1-866-269-2962 or
Trap, Spay, Neuter & Release program to
www.mwhouse.ca.
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