The City of Delta, Colorado has given Melissa Heinzen until May 4, 2008 to stop feeding a feral cat colony in Confluence Park.  Animal Control Officer Tammy Holden has given Ms. Heinzen until then to relocate the cats. The city intends  to trap and kill the remaining cats.

Ms. Heinzen has been managing this colony for more than 6 years.  With help from other residents, she has fed the cats and also trapped and had the cats spayed/neutered and then returned to the colony.  A retired veterinarian provides the spay/neuter services.  One year the veterinarian spayed/neutered 300 cats.

Ms. Heinzen describes that before she began trap, neuter and return, "cats were everywhere". Now the colony has only about 10 feral cats. 2 more cats are domesticated and which she is placing in homes.  "Trap neuter return is working, " says Ms. Heinzen.  

A nearby tourist attraction, a fort, relies on 3-4 of the cats to keep down the mouse population. 

So what's the harm in letting trap neuter return continue to work to keep down the feral cat population in town?

After all, says Ms. Heinzen, "If it is illegal to feed [the cats], then they are going to kill birds. They are going to get into people's garbage. It's also cruel not to feed them. They would starve to death."  Typically, contrary to popular myths, feral cats do not eat birds in great numbers; they are more likely to scavenge for food. 

Ms. Heinzen has appeared at a city council meeting to urge the town to adopt a feral cat ordinance recognizing trap neuter return.  Killing the cats, she says, "just means more cats will come."  Trap neuter return actually reduces the population of feral cats.

For now the city considers Ms. Heinzen and any feral cat giver an owner of these cats. The city ordinances make it illegal to keep or maintain more than 4 cats. It is also illegal to keep or maintain "wild" animals.  The city has said caregivers who trap neuter and return the cats to colonies could also be charged with abandonment.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

There is not much time. Please fax, call or email the mayor and city council members listed below and ask them (be polite!) to allow Melissa Heinzen to continue to manage this successful, small feral cat colony in Confluence Park and also adopt a feral cat ordinance. The city should at least give Ms. Heinzen more time to relocate the remaining cats. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mary Cooper    jollymothe@aol.com

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Seuell         doggone@rmi.net

Guy Pfalzgraff                          mary@montrose.net

Kay Carlquist                           kay.carlquist@delta-co.gov

Robert Jurca                            robert.jurca@delta-co.gov

The new police chief is:

Robert Thomas          robert.thomas@delta-co.gov

Phone mayor or city council members at: 970-874-7566 ext. 206
Fax: 970-874-8776

Click here for more information on Trap Neuter Return of feral cats and also visit Alley Cat Allies at www.alleycat.org