paw it forward | Savannah's Paw Tracks

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I’m gonna paw over the typing keys to my Mom L for this blog post. But first, let me ask every reader of today’s blog post to do me, Savannah the Former Shelter Cat, a huge favor. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO STOP EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS DISTRICT (EBRP)FROM SHOOTING ANYMORE ABANDONED COMMUNITY CATS. Thanks my pals for offering your paws to hit the “send” button on your letter to the persons Mom L identifies below.

Hi everyone. Mom L here!

Thanks sweet Savannah, my “Nana”, for letting me have your blog today. I will make this short so you all have time to take action and send emails to East Bay Regional Parks personnel I identify below with their contact information.

But first, let’s review what’s happening here in the East side of the San Francisco bay area in California and why everyone who reads this blog needs to take action, no matter where you live. We need GLOBAL involvement to convince a local parks district to stop hunting innocent abandoned community cats like they are “big game” to be shot and killed! The East Bay Regional Parks (EBRP) district is funded in part by public funds and they are expected to be our stewards of the parks and the animals that call them home—including abandoned community cats!

THE SITUATION
A video is worth a thousand words. Let’s start with this investigative report from a local bay area tv channel, ABC Channel 7’s I Team reporting.

EBRP has not even agreed to eliminate their policy that advocates and sanctions killing abandoned community cats on EBRP property by gunshot. There is no part of the policy that states they must first seek out assistance and guidance from local nonprofit cat rescues nor local municipal animal services. This is NOT OVER and will continue on if we cannot let them know that the whole world is watching their every action.

Please help us get JUSTICE for Sherbet, Milton, Jerry, Wildflower, Panther, Cali, Tabitha, Simone, Bear, Blue, Whispy, Lucy, Sylvia, Lilimom, Button, Ollie, Nova and more!!

Some of the cats have been saved thanks to their feeder, Cecelia Theis and Island Cat, Resources and Adoption. Here is a sweetie being cared for at Marin Humane Society.

Suspension of killing the cats IS NOT ENOUGH (click for update)

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS CAUGHT OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH STATED VALUES
They say the right words but they do not “walk the talk” they spew out on their website. Their only excuse to this colony’s feeder/caregiver is that “gosh, some of our staff have cats as pets and feel awful, but a lot of them don’t like the cats”.
Values: How We Work
Respect: We honor the land we steward, each other, and the park visitors we serve.
Resilience: We creatively adapt to change. We address challenges with empathy, perspective, and determination.
Relationships: Our greatest strength lies in the trust, accountability, and teamwork we cultivate with our colleagues, partners, and the public we serve.
Responsiveness: We communicate openly, honestly, and reliably.
Transparency: We hold the public’s trust through meaningful stakeholder engagement and access to timely and reliable information on decisions and performance.

WHO TO CONTACT WITH YOUR CURTIOUS CONDEMNATION OF THIS POLICY
Robert Doyle, General Manager (bdoyle@ebparks.org)
Matt Graul, Chief of Stewardship (mgraul@ebparks.org)
Doug Bell, Wildlife Program Manager (dbell@ebparks.org)
Dave Riensche, Wildlife Resource Analyst (docquack@ebparks.org)—he and another staff member are the alleged organizers of the cat shootings. They apparently asked for some gun owning employees and they laid in wait until after the cats had been fed, the feeder Cecelia had left and the cats were lounging about cleaning and rolling in the grass and head butting each other; feeling full and safe. The cats were picked off while they appeared to not even be on EBRP property then the bodies removed.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ward 1 Board Member: Elizabeth Echols; eechols@ebparks.org
Ward 2 Board Member: Dee Rosario; drosario@ebparks.org
Ward 3 Board Member: Dennis Waespi; dwaespi@ebparks.org
Ward 4 Board Member: Ellen Corbett; ecorbett@ebparks.org
Ward 5 Board Member: Ayn Wieskamp; awieskamp@ebparks.org
Ward 6 Board Member: Beverly Lane; blane@ebparks.org
Ward 7 Board Member: Colin Coffey; ccoffey@ebparks.org

SAMPLE EMAIL MESSAGES—FEEL FREE TO USE OR CUT AND PASTE
Sample One:
I am commenting on the recent Investigative Report published by local ABC Chanel 7 News. They exposed a common practice and policy at EBRP that sanctions and supports the violent eradication of abandoned community cats by gunshot if found on or near EBRP properties.

This policy is archaic and the time for its removal is long past. Just because these cats were abandoned, then formed a close family knit colony near an area where some endangered birds may nest, doesn’t give EBRP permission to intentionally avoid all humane management paths open to them and default to the path that enables some trigger happy staff to line the cats up at their trusted and safe feeding stations and execute them in front of each other.

There are ample cat rescue nonprofit groups in all the counties where EBRP owns land who are ready to help humanely trap and relocate the cats. Not to mention the city and county municipal animal services that will help make sure the cats lives are not in danger. Why does EBRP continue with this barbaric policy? Is it because some staff take pleasure in shooting these small cats?

Your choice to continue this policy will make global headlines. But for now, this east bay community is watching your every move relative to adoption of humane management of abandoned community cats found in and around all EBRP land. “

Sample Two:

I am writing to express my anger at the reprehensible actions of EBRPD personnel who shot and killed feral cats living on district property. I am also writing to demand a full and public accounting of these events, as well as to demand an immediate change in policy.

Surely there were numerous alternative, humane actions which could have been taken to deal with the issue of the cats allegedly harassing wildlife. The Bay Area has hundreds of animal shelters, rescue groups, animal welfare organizations and Trap/Neuter/Release programs which could and should have been consulted for help. Shooting these terrified animals who are feral through no fault of their own simply should not be an option. It is especially galling that this policy was implemented by a parks organization whose mission should include protecting all life contained on its lands, for which it is merely the steward.

As a concerned person, I implore you to reverse this cruel, inhumane, and frankly ignorant policy and explore alternatives with animal welfare organizations who have expertise with a complex but not unique issue.

Thank you.”

UPDATED NEWS ON THIS ONGOING SITUATION—As of December 12
From Oakland Animal Services and the Board of Directors of Friends of Oakland Animal Services

LINKS TO FURTHER RELATED INFORMATION
California regulation of feral cats
Cats impact on birds and wildlife
Science for TNR advocates

Please read the UPDATED information. There is another opportunity to address the EBRP Board of Directors THIS WEEK IF YOUR COMMENTS ARE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 3pm PDST ON DECEMBER 14. You do not have to be a USA citizen to add your voice to our cry for #justiceforoakportcats