Jennifer Winkler: Neuter-and-release prolongs suffering of cats
Re “We should become a ‘no-kill’ county” (Page 3B, Nov. 18): The Stanislaus County Department of Animal Services, after previously using euthanasia extensively, currently has a practice of neutering and releasing (to the site of their trapping) feral cats and stray cats not claimed by an owner. Such releases does not provide for the fact the cats need to eat. Many of the returned cats will starve, and the starving is likely to be protracted by occasional, but inadequate, food.
Euthanasia (Eu, meaning “good”; thanasia, meaning “death”) eliminated the suffering not only of future generations, but also the current generation. Neuter and release is inferior because it only eliminates the suffering of future generations. The remaining cats suffer a lot.
What good does neuter-and-release do? It makes a few self-congratulating humans feel they have done something good. But the released cats pay heavily for their vanity.
Jennifer Winkler, Modesto
This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Jennifer Winkler: Neuter-and-release prolongs suffering of cats."