We ask you to leave alone all feral and free roaming cats at Jones Beach State Park. It is ridiculous and inhumane to blame cats and prosecute them for bird extinctions as the American Bird Conservancy is doing in their recent petition addressed to you. Humans are to blame for everything. The American Bird Conservancy asks you to “remove” the cats and to take them to a shelter to give them an opportunity to find a forever home but that is unrealistic. Millions of cats are killed in shelters across the country every year. It would be great if every homeless cat could find a home with a family, but it is unrealistic unless human behavior changes. The American Bird Conservancy considers cats an invasive, non-native species. Cats were brought to the United States of America by the Pilgrims thus are a beloved member of this nation. Everybody in this country is non-native and invasive starting with the Pilgrims by that definition. We are not going to tolerate witch hunts against cats or compassionate humans who feed them and actually help.
The American Bird Conservancy has made it clear that it is against Spay/Neuter/Release programs and encourages its followers to contact politicians urging them to vote against these programs. Check their Facebook page and you will find the evidence and the comments posted by their followers. The only logical conclusion is that the American Bird Conservancy wants massive cat extermination. It is inhumane and unacceptable. The House Sparrow pictured in their petition was introduced to North America in 1852 according to public records thus they were brought to this area by humans much later than cats.
The American Bird Conservancy also claims that cats turned the park into an unhealthy gigantic litter box hurting both humans and birds. What about the damage done by humans to the birds starting with plastic bottle caps left behind? Do not participate in the American Bird Conservancy’s witch hunt against cats. Support Spay/Neuter/Release programs and the compassionate people who are helping homeless cats and dogs. A lot of them are probably the ones helping to pick up trash left behind by humans in parks, beaches and other wildlife areas.
