WILDLIFE IS PRECIOUS IN DELAWARE: FERAL CATS FIND A PLACE AS COMMUNITY CATS OR NEIGHBORHOOD CATS
| One of the things that I love about living in Delaware is the state's progressive attitude toward all wildlife. In Delaware, for example, it is a felony, a criminal offense, to harm any feral or pet cat. I've included a link below about Delaware's legal designation of feral cats as "community cats" or "neighborhood cats." Not only do they protect feral cats, they offer assistance to farmers and homeowners to help them find a peaceable way to integrate feral cats into their communities. http://www.nokilldelaware.org/community-cats/ I became one of Delaware's feral cat caretakers because of an important phrase I've heard throughout my life: "When I was hungry, you gave me food to eat..." which I believe was meant to apply to every one who comes to our door in hunger. In fact, many people throughout the United States now recognize our responsibility for caring for feral cats. Alley Cat Allies reports on their website (www.alleycat.org) that "Intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of ownership. Anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats— companion, abandoned, lost, and feral." All life is precious, in ways we sometimes do not completely understand. That is why we have laws to guide us. Thank you, Delaware, and state and national legislators, for defining a path to progress. |