Letter from Ellen P. Fallin

Pet Owners Must Be Responsible

The purpose of this letter is to plead with pet owners to spay/neuter and vaccinate their pets and take responsibility for them.

Last week my (neutered, vaccinated) cat was attacked in our yard in the City of Oneonta by a feral cat. My cat received several injuries. We made an urgent visit to the vet, which included wound care, pain medication, antibiotics, and an updated rabies shot.

I called the City of Oneonta Animal Control number. The voice mailbox was full. I texted the number and got no reply. I called the city police, who directed me to Code Enforcement. Code Enforcement personnel informed me that Animal Control does not manage cats, only dogs. They gave me the number for Friends of the Feral, a volunteer group who helps trap strays and get them some basic care. I got a voice mail at that number and no one has returned my call.

The sad takeaway here is that the burden of dealing with feral animals, by whatever means, is falling to the community. But it is rightfully up to YOU to care for your pets. And please, if you can’t care for your pet, don’t abandon it to suffer injury, sickness, or starvation. Do the right thing and take it to a shelter where it will get food and vet care, and the chance for a new home. I certainly am not equal to coping with this problem, and it shouldn’t be mine to deal with.

Ellen P. Falin
Oneonta