To the editor:
Mr. Kierstead, let me thank you for your support of the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We work very hard to provide the best possible care for the animals. The questions you wrote in last week’s paper could have been easily answered if you had only come to any board member, our manager or myself, we would have gladly addressed the matter with you. A Board of Directors governs the Central Aroostook Humane Society and we vote as a group on all matters pertaining to the shelter. We discussed the proposed “cat enclosure” and we seriously looked into it, weighing our options.
We believe that if these enclosures were so good, safe and economical, that every shelter would have one, yet we do not know of one shelter in our state to use this type of enclosure.
It was also brought to our attention by a licensed veterinarian, that having cats outside posed some serious health issues: passing bodily fluids, sanitation, stray cats, fleas and ticks and cats fighting and being wounded, requiring veterinary attention and more expenses for the shelter.
We also discussed that some people do not want to adopt “outside” cats and some cats do not want to be outside. It is very difficult to “capture” a terrified cat in a large area even if it is enclosed.
Lastly, by having an enclosed pen in the front of the building (which would be the only place we have any room) it would be inviting people to abandon their unwanted cats in the enclosure, even if it were securely locked.
After weighing all of these issues and more, we have decided that your offer was very generous, but that money would be much better spent in other areas such spaying and neutering animals to help fight pet overpopulation. Our cats get plenty of “out of cage” time in our “cat rooms” during the day thanks to our many volunteers and our wonderful employees.
If you would like to make a donation and continue to support the Humane Society, we would like to purchase more of the large cat condos on wheels, which can safely be brought outside and then, rolled back inside and give the cats three levels to lounge in
Again, thank you for your support of the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
president
Central Aroostook Humane Society
