HELP MAKE FRANCE A CAT-FRIENDLY COUNTRY.

Madame President, Madame Vice-President & Madame Deputy of the Conseil General of Charente Maritime.

We, the undersigned, endorse the following petition:-

French law imposes severe maximum penalties to protect domestic animals from cruelty and abandonment, which is admirable. However, there are two issues that require considerable attention:-

(1) - domestic un-neutered pet cats, male & female, are illegally abandoned in France every year resulting in those cats breeding in the wild, producing a countless number of unwanted cats and kittens.

(2) - owners who do not, or who will not, control the natural mating habits of their un-neutered pet cats, provide a perpetual source of unwanted stray cats and kittens in the hamlets, villages and towns of France.

Subsequently more than 500 cat associations have been created in the 95 departments of France, including Charente Maritime, to try to help alleviate these problems. Their dedication is exemplified by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, the 30 Million Amis Foundation and the SPA (Society for the Protection of Animals), and many other notable associations. The Charente Maritime associations, and their related veterinary clinics, will testify to the gravity of the problem.

These associations in Charente Maritime, and across the rest of France, exist for humanitarian reasons, to help reduce the multiplication of stray cats and the consequent disease & hunger which cause so much unnecessary feline suffering. French and British residents, including holiday makers, repeatedly contact these associations for help & advice, and who voice their concern about the plight of stray cats in Charente Maritime.

They also exist to oppose those who consider stray cats to be a nuisance or vermin and who drown them, shoot them, poison them and use euthanasia to control their numbers. Wasn't the law written to protect domestic animals from such treatment? Drowning kittens, for example, must surely be considered a cruel act under the terms of French law.

The practice of extermination is proven not to work. If all stray cats in Charente Maritime disappeared at the stroke of a magic wand the vacuum created would soon be filled by more stray cats for the following reason -'owners who do not, or who will not, control the natural mating habits of their un-neutered pet cats, provide a perpetual source of unwanted stray cats and kittens'. Where else do they come from?

This multiplication of unwanted cats and kittens will persist ad-infinitum, and the Charente Maritime cat associations will continue their never-ending task, but the demands made upon them are becoming onerous and expensive.

We, the undersigned, therefore call upon the Conseil General of Charente Maritime, in conjunction with other relevant parties, and representatives of the Charente Maritime cat associations, to set up a framework within which these matters can be discussed, and, eventually, for agreed resolutions be put into place.

Addendum - the associations wish to introduce the following subjects for discussion.-

(1) Charente Maritime owners must be encouraged to identify their pet cats and dogs, by tattoo or micro-chip - as required under French law - and equally important - they must be encouraged to behave responsibly by having their pet cats neutered - which is the only sure way to prevent uncontrolled breeding and the spread of serious feline diseases.

(2) The concept of managed stray cat colonies - the town of Toulouse, for example, manage their stray cats without the use of extermination.

(3) Trap, Neuter and Release is increasingly being used in many countries of the world, including France, as the only proven and humane method of reliably reducing the stray cat population.  Why not adopt this method OFFICIALLY in Charente Maritime?

LET CHARENTE MARITIME LEAD THE WAY IN FRANCE!

Thank you for taking the time to read this petition.

Yours sincerely,

Bruce Weir.
'La Protection des Chats' - asso no. W174001125
7 Impasse du Porche,
17460 Tesson,
France.