The town council officers must not and cannot take advantage of caregivers just because "they love cats" and therefore can be ransomed to do anything because of fear of culling.
Caregivers are to be given as much respect as the people who just pick up the phone or type emails to complain. In fact they should be commended for "active citizenry". Instead some town council officers pander to complainants, especially those who are loud and aggressive. This is unjust and must stop! If a complaint is unreasonable, the town council officer must have the courage to say so, instead of taking the cowardly out by killing cats, just because they cannot speak!
A town council received a list of complaints from ONE resident that includes:-
"Feeding of cats by a woman every Friday at around 10.30 pm at night. Attracting about 10 cats in the vicinity"
The Property Manager emailed to a caregiver stating that "The concern is the catfeeder feeds cats around the vicinity of Blk *** ground floor. Need you to talk to the catfeeder".
A caregiver in the estate wrote this
"I am a resident of *** too.
With regards to the single-lined complaint from our animal-intolerant fellow resident: "Feeding of cats by a woman every Friday at around 10.30 pm at night. Attracting about 10 cats in the vicinity", I feel that such a casual complaint lacks any base and information needed for us solve this 'problem'.
The TC officer in-charge could first clarify the issue with the complainant in question before even clamouring for solutions from caregivers.
We are all ready and willing to help in resolving related issues provided that we know what is the issue in the first place.
If the complainant's problem is about seeing 10 cats together at 1030pm every night, I'm sorry to say that the problem lies with neither the feeder nor the cats, but unfortunately, with the complainant.
Residential areas and void decks belong to all residents and not just a single person.
I'm sure that the feeder feeds at a specific place & time and leaves within 30-45mins at max. After feeding, the cats will scatter and the feeder will leave.
If it is the case that the feeder does not clear up or does not clear up properly, it is possible that we educate her about the importance of responsible feeding.
However, from the complainant's one-line complaint, we cannot, and do not want to assume that the feeder feeds irresponsibly,
We cannot therefore conclude that in pursuing her interest, she 'acted irresponsibly towards the environment and to the people around'.
On a separate note, all of us *** caregivers will make a point to ensure that all cats in that area are sterilised and sport a tipped ear.
It would be helpful if you can help us get more information from the complainant or get her to contact us directly about her 'issue'.
Action should be taken only when there is a valid complaint. It would not be wise to waste resources on either side.
Thank you for your time.
Warmest Regards,
****
| The Electric New Paper :
|
| TOWN COUNCIL CULLING CATS |
| They should address more serious problems |
| A FRIEND of mine was upset because her town council was culling cats in her neighbourhood after a resident complained of a cat defecating on the grass patch in front of her flat. |
| 11 November 2008 |
| A FRIEND of mine was upset because her town council was culling cats in her neighbourhood after a resident complained of a cat defecating on the grass patch in front of her flat. I wish my town council can be as efficient when it comes to more serious complaints, such as problems posed by the increasing number of cyclists. There have been so many personal near misses that I feel it is inevitable that one day I will be hit. I also wish my town council can be as efficient in educating people to not throw unhygienic or dangerous items, such as soiled sanitary pads, out of their flats. Once a knife came flying down and narrowly missed my head. I also wish my town council can educate the karung guni man not to urinate at the rubbish chute. I appeal to the town council to be reasonable when responding to complaints and to stop pandering to unreasonable ones. There is always the Cat Welfare Society (www.catwelfare.org) to consult even if the town council cannot do a simple Google search on humane ways to repel cats. One solution is it can try is to sprinkle crushed camphor balls on the area the complainant is unhappy about. Please stop victimising the cats. FROM READER TAN CHEK WEE |
