STOP the barbaric, inhumane killing of Akron, Ohio's cats, NOW!
Akron animal wardens, enforcing a new law banning free-roaming felines, have killed 43 of the 53 cats and kittens rounded up in the first three days.
On June 25th, 2002 Akron's City Council passed a law allowing the dog warden to legally pick up free roaming cats. The 3 day holding and 2 day adoption part of the law is being totally ignored. If the cats that are trapped have fleas, ringworm, cage stress, etc. they are killed within hours. The method of killing used is called the Heart Stick. This is where a needle with a lethal medicine in it is suppose to be put into the animals heart AFTER a heavy sedation is given. It is an extremely painful method. The dog warden's office is ignoring this practice because of time, money, and people. Instead they are just sticking the cats somewhere around the heart area. City Council has been recorded as joking about all of this. It is costing the citizens of Akron $750,000 for this law. CHAP (Citizens for Humane Animal Practices) has been trying since before this went into affect to stop it. CHAP has tried on many occasions, to different city levels, to offer alternatives that have worked in other cities but has been given a deaf ear. From what we've been told 20 cats and kittens are killed A DAY! City Council and the dog warden do not care if they are feral/strays, abandoned, or someone's pets. We need to stop this NOW!
