By snoadmin
Cal State Long Beach’s recent call to dispose of the more than 100 feral cats, due to coyote sightings on campus, prompted a protest by students, faculty and concerned citizens on Sunday.
About 40 protestors demonstrated peacefully along 7th Street and West University Drive demanding removal of the coyotes over the cats or for humane capturing of the cats, which are said to be the reason for at least two coyotes coming onto campus.
Leaving behind disemboweled cat carcasses, coyotes have become a threat to campus safety, and have put the university in a position to choose one animal over another. Some cats will be put up for adoption, while officials have not ruled out euthanization for ones that are too wild for homes.
Leslie Abrahams, a protestor and a volunteer caretaker from the non-profit organization Campus Animal Assistance-Beach Cats, says the cats are not necessarily to blame. “The campus should not focus on the cats,” Abrahams said. “There are other food sources on campus, raccoons and ‘possums.” For about 20 years, Abrahams has taken care of the cats and said that her organization was given a 40 day notice about the removal of cats from campus officials.
Another caretaker, Bill Dyer, the regional director of In Defense of Animals, a national non-profit organization, has been taking care of these cats for 10 years. He says that relocating the coyotes and not the cats would be best.
“They [campus officials] should call fish and game to catch the coyotes and not get rid of the cats,” Dyer said. Passing cars and trucks honked in support of protesters holding signs, and protestors from across Southern California and from other CSU campuses also participated.
Nancy Anderson, a sophomore economics and education major from Cal State Fullerton feels that, “it is ridiculous” and doesn’t “see any excuse in getting rid of the cats.”
Rip Rockstead, 40, a longshoreman from Long Beach, wanted to stick up for the animals, “people have to stand up for animals–they don’t have a voice.”
Abrahams and her organization hired Henry Salcido, an attorney, if no resolution is reached. Salcido says it is not a cat issue but a safety issue. “If they are really concerned about the safety of these young people on campus, they would get rid of the coyotes and not the cats so it just does not make any sense. It’s illogical,” Salcido said.
“I think the university is exposing itself to some potential lawsuits by people who may be attacked by these coyotes.” A more detailed article is to follow this Thursday in print and online. To be continued …
