Cats (and Other Animals) Still Disturbing Baldwin Township
'We're just gonna have to think of something to do, or we're going to be overrun.' - resident Debra Brewer
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If someone feeds a stray cat in Baldwin Township, but no one else is around to witness it, does it really happen? How about a deer?
Township officials have made it clear that feeding wild animals—including stray cats, deer and other critters—is not to be encouraged in Baldwin, but those same officials have been reluctant to pass an official ordinance against that practice for fear that it would pit neighbor versus neighbor in court.
"If we were to enact an ordinance banning the feeding of stray cats, that becomes a neighbor-against-neighbor type of situation," township commissioner Nick Pellegrino said at a board meeting on Aug. 7. "You would have to report a neighbor for feeding the cats and violating the ordinance, and when they get a ticket, if they appeal it, you would then have to show up at the magistrate's office to be the witness against them.
"There could be good coming out of an ordinance like that, and there could be the issue of now having a neighborly dispute, a contentious relationship, whatever you want to call it."
Pellegrino's inexact position on the matter, one shared by other township officials, has been a hard pill to swallow for the township residents who are fed up with smelly yards, cat fur and dangerous street and walkway crossings.
"We're just gonna have to think of something to do, or we're going to be overrun," said Debra Brewer of Highview Road at another township meeting on Tuesday night. "It's not going to be safe for kids to play." Brewer was referring to both cats and deer running around in the township.
Brewer said that an unknown man has been dumping apples down a hill into Armstrong Park every day, encouraging deer to come out of the woods to eat them. And she said that similar actions by neighbors leaving food outside for stray cats have contributed to an increase in the township's overall animal population.
Said Gary Moeller, also of Highview, on Tuesday night, "There's deer coming into my yard, eating my shrubbery up, defecating in my yard. They're multiplying tremendously around the township."
Commissioner Bob Downey wondered aloud about some nearby municipalities and their practice of conducting controlled bowhunting to limit deer populations. But Downey also recognized that such hunts can be dangerous.
A coalition of local animal rights advocates and experts came to a Baldwin Township meeting on June 25 to present details of a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program aimed at controlling Baldwin's stray cat population, but township officials have not accepted that group's plan.
The TNR program would involve volunteers placing feeding stations around the township to trap loose cats, and that aspect of the program is what concerns township officials, Downey said in an interview after a July 3 township meeting.
Downey said that the prime space for stray cats in Baldwin Township is a wooded area at the end of Donaldson Drive, but that area is actually in Mt. Lebanon. And anyone wishing to place a feeding station in Mt. Lebanon cannot get permission to do so from Baldwin officials.
Furthermore, Downey said, township officials cannot prevent property owners from placing feeding stations on their private properties, so permission from the commissioners would not mean anything in that regard.
"That's their business," Downey said. "We have no ordinance that would preclude them from doing it."
Pellegrino said on Tuesday that township administration will provide cages to township residents to trap animals on their property if they want to. The cages are available at the municipal building on Community Park Drive (adjacent to Armstrong Park).
The cages may not be big enough to trap adult deer, however.
Jean Colaizzi, another Highview resident, does not believe that a TNR program would lessen the township's cat population enough.
Said Colaizzi at the Aug. 7 meeting, "Why can't they just get euthanized? That would be the best thing; wouldn't it?"
Colaizzi said that she is frustrated by how cats have affected her property.
"I have about a dozen cats that are in my backyard, crapping in my yard, in my flowers, in my vegetables. It stinks so bad in my backyard that I cannot sit out there and enjoy the summer evenings."
She also expressed worry that some of the cats may be carrying diseases.
"Currently, right now, we don't have any ordinances on the books (limiting the feeding of wild animals)," Downey said, "but we're exploring that option."
Check back with the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch later on Wednesday for more from Tuesday night's board meeting.
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In This article
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Baldwin Township Municipal Building (Administrative Offices)
10 Community Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
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Armstrong Park
10 Community Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
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cc
5:59 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
TRN does work but the township does not want to do anything about these cats. Even though the service was offered for free. Jean Colaizzi wants them euthanized Along with the cats does she want the squirrels, rabbits birds, deer,and all other animals euthanized too, as they might go all over her yard too. The people in Baldwin Township needs to remember that the next time election comes up, do not vote for the ones in place now, as they don't want to control the population of cats that can be taken care of very simple. There are ways to keep the cats from destroying your yards and furniture. All the have to do is google it to get answers.
Rick W.
8:50 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The TNR program will stop the reproductive abilities of these ferral cats however releasing them back into community WILL NOT stop the destruction of residents properties including mine. If the township is overrun with cats now, how can anyone think the TNR program will help. if this program was instituted prior to the township being overrun it would have worked. I should have the right to enjoy my property without the cat feces and the strong odor of cat urine.
It seems these cats have more rights than me.
cc
12:23 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
A cat marks his territory with a scent that is foul smelling and when you fix an animal, they quit marking their territory to attack the opposite sex. TRN had been proven to work as when they can't reproduce they die off. There are many ways to keep cats out of your yard and from ruining your property. If you do a google search you can find many ways to keep cats out of your yard. Talk to them at a home depot or lowes. Get coffee grounds and place under bushes so you got about a 2 inch base and keep adding more used coffee to the soil. We have feral cats in Whitehall also and do a TRN over here on our street and were down to about 10 - 12 cats now, and that is a big improvement on the number that we had 4 years ago. We even got 2 litters of kittens and another cat fed them and these cats were adopted out and we spayed both mother cats so they won't be producing more kittens. TRN does work but it isn't an over night solution.
Vicki Cook
9:37 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Actually TNR will help stop the destructive behavior because neutered cats are less likely to roam, fight, yowl and spray. TNR has worked successfully in controlling feral cat populations in communities throughout the country. Using trap-and-kill methods, new cats will move into the neighborhood, but by using TNR, the feral population will stabilize and decrease over time. Learn more at http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=1013
Terry
11:43 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
And now the deer are also a problem. What is wrong with you people??!! OK...let's get Animal Control out there to trap and kill every single animal. Dog owners...be careful..make sure your dog doesn't escape the back yard. Cat owners...look out, your cat is next. Those of you who enjoy the wildlife: take pictures now..the people who are the most vocal, are the ones calling the shots..and they want all animals gone!
The word is out. Baldwin Twp residents hate animals. I'm telling everybody I know. Don't move to Baldwin Twp.
NE12Ukid
12:17 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
"Skunks and raccoons, well-documented vectors of rabies, are also attracted to feral cat colonies by the food put out by caretakers, thus increasing the risk of transmission. This is why The Willdife Society and many other veterinary, scientific and conservation-oriented organizations have opposed trap-neuter-release programs for feral cats. Once again, the evidence against TNR management continues to pile up. How many more such incidents will have to be endured before local municipalities overturn well-meaning, but ill-advised TNR programs?"
http://wildlifeprofessional.org/blog/?cat=158
cc
12:38 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
"The ASPCA endorses Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the only proven humane and effective method to manage feral cat colonies." http://www.aspca.org/adoption/feral-cats-faq.aspx I would rather read an article from a legit place then someone who blogs it doesn't work
Vicki Cook
6:27 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Oral rabies vaccine has been proven to decrease rabies in wildlife. http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=691 Baldwin Twp. could work with Allegheny County to distribute bait in the area; thereby increasing the reach of the annual program and decreasing the overall risk of rabies in the area. http://www.alleghenycounty.us/news/2012/20120816.aspx
NE12Ukid
12:17 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
This document reveals the protocol for even the best run TNR program fails the Rabies vaccine standard of care miserably. Page 12 of the compendium shows the standard for each type of Rabies vaccine sold, and all of them require a booster shot. This is a familiar concept for any pet owner who provides veterinary care for their pet, as they are vaccinated yearly, and then perhaps every three years, after the initial puppy or kitten vaccination. In other words, the protocol demands two shots in the first year of life for the pet, and unfortunately, we are not aware of any TNR program that provides that booster as required by all the vaccine manufacturers. At best, TNR programs only provide a single dose of a rabies vaccine, which is administered at the time of sterilization. Given that these feral cats are at absolute highest risk for rabies cross species transmission from raccoons and other wildlife drawn to feeding stations, we cannot support any county funded or endorsed TNR program due to the practical impossibilities associated with boosting feral and stray cats
http://www.hahf.org/blog/compendium-for-rabies-vaccines-added-to-concerns-with-tnr-public-health-page/
cc
12:39 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
another blog. How about some real facts that it doesn't work as I can find many articles from legit animal control that says it does work
Terry
2:24 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
I just heard the latest news about the animal 'issues' in your borough. From what I understand, the problem is also now about deer. I was also told that you've hired Ferree Kennels. Are you aware of how Mr Ferree controls the animal population? He kills it.
The state laws says dogs must be held for 48 hours, but there is no law for cats. If Mr Ferree picks up a lost cat, he will put it down by the end of the day.
And if Mr Ferree picks up a lost dog, he will put it down in 2 days. Do you or your family have a dog? If the dog happens to get off his leash, or a gate is left open by a kid, the dog will be dead in 2 days.
I have a cat who is determined to get out. Every time I leave my house, I have to work at keeping him inside. What about the family who has a 10 yr old child that isn't diligent about keeping the family pet inside? If it's a cat, he'll be dead by the end of the day. And how does Mr Ferree kill those pets? Well, he doesn't do it humanely. A humane euthanization is how your vet or reputable animal shelters do it. It's done with an injection..essentially an overdose of anesthesia. Mr Ferree uses a gas chamber. The animal chokes and feels intense throat & chest pain before he passes.
Now Mr Ferree will tell you that he breaks no laws. He's right. He can temporaily house 10 dogs in an 8x10 room. He can put them in a gas chamber to die. Yes, it's legal. Many unethical things are.
Jess M.
2:47 pm on Friday, September 7, 2012
I do not like Ferree Kennels. Not sorry to say that either. Why don't we get someone else. I agree. Vote all these commissioners out who won't do something about the cat problem in this township.
I do not have a problem with the deer. They are the animals that belong in the wild. Not the neighbor's 20 cats that they put out and leave out.
The cat problem on Haverhill Road/Crestline Drive is disgusting. And there are people on Haverhill Road who have numerous cats that are out all the time and they are the ones that are destroying the flowers, patio furniture, etc. And the other neighbors know but are afraid to say anything because they are afraid of retalliation from these people.
Ask a few people on Haverhill/Crestline. They'll tell you who the people are who have the nuisance cats ... and they are most likely not even vaccinated or had any shots for that matter.
Terry
2:30 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
And now people in Baldwin Township are complaining about the deer. Oh my goodness! Do your citizens want to move to another planet? Maybe there are no animals on Pluto. I do not live in Baldwin Twp. I will never live in your township. And I plan on telling everybody I know not to move to Baldwin Twp. I thank God I live in an area where the neighbors walk their dogs, pick up the waste, cats aren't hated & we love watching the deer without getting mad about them eating the hostas.
Mary
5:55 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
I think all the animal lovers need to go to these meetings and voice. Tell these animals haters to move to the city if they do not want wild life in their yards...
Jess M.
2:47 pm on Friday, September 7, 2012
I'll take the deer any day over the nasty cats. The deer belong in the wild. Not the damn housecats that the neighbors want but don't want.
Mary
5:52 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
My suggestion is for all the old people who HATE cats and HATE deer and HATES life, MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND MOVE TO THE CITY!!!! These type of humans took over the animals homes moving in these places were wild life lives...Humans move in on the animals the animals did not move in on the humans, so if you can not deal with animals, again MOVE INTO THE CITY....one of the best things about living in the country setting is the ANIMALS.....I THINK YOU ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THE ANIMALS....
NE12Ukid
8:52 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Mary, Mary, have you ever lived in the city? Do you think there are not animals there?
Besides, the problem is the cats that are not kept indoors, problems with feral colonies, the destruction they cause, the health dangers, and that happens in the city as much as the suburbs. It's not like Baldwin Twp or Baldwin Boro are rural areas!
Nor does the city of Pittsburgh have a magic shield that keeps all "critters" from crossing it. It sounds more like you just want anyone who doesn't think exactly the same as you to MOVE.
Jess M.
2:48 pm on Friday, September 7, 2012
There is a different type of animal in the city. Figure it out.
Terry
9:01 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
uh oh---A kid in Colorado has Bubonic Plague! She got it when she found a dead squirrel and buried it. Watch out Baldwin Twp!! Call Mr Ferree...have him kill all the squirrels too!!
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/05/colorado-girl-recovering-from-bubonic-plague/
Robert Edward Healy, III
9:48 am on Friday, September 7, 2012
Had to delete a comment from "Tyrion Lannister" because it used masked profanity.
Lannister's edited comment is as follows.:
"Why can't they just get euthanized? That would be the best thing; wouldn't it?" says Jean Colaizzi. Since when is killing animals "The best thing?" What kind of heinous cave-dwellers live in Baldwin Township? "It's not going to be safe for kids to play." What does that even mean?! OMG a deer! It's no longer safe to go outside! "We're going to be overrun." By what? A malicious herd of stampeding... cats? I think the residents of Baldwin Township need to get a life & find some real actual issues to address. You have deer in your yard? Boo-Hoo, it's called Pennsylvania. This continuing jihad against cats & deer is hilarious. Then when your kids grow up and ask you where all the wildlife went, you can promptly tell them, "Well, little Susie, mommy had them all killed."
Jess M.
2:50 pm on Friday, September 7, 2012
Cats belong in the house. I will be glad to take the cat crap that is in my yard on a daily basis and give it back to the so called owners of these cats. Maybe they need a taste and smell of the crap their furry little friends deposit in all of our yards.