NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — The North Haven Police Department is clarifying the town's Animal Control department's plans to address issues with feral cats in one of its neighborhoods.
Animal Control posted on social media Friday that starting Monday, outdoor cats found in the area of Vineyard Road will be trapped and brought to the shelter, held for a week while being advertised, and be "humanely euthanized" if no one claims them. Their goal is to trap feral cats, so residents were asked to keep their outdoor cats inside during the trapping process, which would otherwise last for an undetermined amount of time.
Pet owners, animal advocates, and North Haven residents on social media did not take well to this plan. Users called it a "horrific decision" and brought it to the attention of Desmond's Army, which is a non-profit that advocates for animal rights through law.
The Animal Control's Facebook post has since been removed, and North Haven police shared an update with clarification.
In the post, police clarified Animal Control's goals, which is to prevent the spread of disease, curtail property damage, and protect pets. Police cited a recent issue where a family dog was attacked by a feral cat and ended up losing its eye and racking up medical bills for the owner.
Several non-profits in the area have reached out to the Town of North Haven to help Animal Control with the trapped cats, according to police.
"These groups will help Animal Control determine the health and wellbeing of the cats, and efforts will be made to have these cats adopted or homed," North Haven police said in an update. "Our best effort is being made to protect the residents of the affected area, while providing a safe alternative for the cats. We thank those non-profits for their generosity, support and kindness."
It's not clear if the assistance from neighboring organizations would completely eliminate the possibility of "humanely euthanizing" trapped, unclaimed cats after seven days.
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