EXTERMINATION UNDER WAY!

HELP!!

Los Angeles County is rounding up and killing feral and stray cats in unincorporated areas as a defense against “terrorist attack.” Next they will move on to LA Cities, as in the past, such as Santa Monica and LA

I have dealt with Mr. Ramirez in the past with his kill-oriented psychopathological thinking, numerous times, as well as other members of County Vector Control. They are insistent on killing as their primary solution to all threats of vector borne diseases. They have repeatedly successfully demanded that the ground squirrels in Palisades Park in Santa Monica be killed every three years or so despite massive opposition by the public and by the city of Santa Monica. They do this all over the county, including incorporated cities within the County, such as Santa Monica or Los Angeles.

Joe and his boss Gail Van Gordon are kill crazy and feel they are on a mission from God to cleanse the world or urban wildlife and feral cats when there is, in their minds, even the slightest potential for disease spread to humans. Ramirez bragged to me that the reason there has been no human plague in Los Angeles County is because they so thoroughly kill ground squirrels throughout the County. They don't even pretend to present reasonable arguments to support the medical/scientific necessity of their killing. Ramirez told me in the past he wanted to kill feral cats because they can spread pneumonic vs. bubonic plague. Vector has been looking for an excuse to kill ferals, now its terrorists!

Trapping has already begun at DEL AIRE COUNTY PARK where a notice has been posted, that cats will be trapped and taken to the Carson shelter where they will be “adopted” out. Next in line for trapping is PECK PARK and THE HARBOR UCLA MEDICAL CENTER. That they will adopt them is a complete lie. Feral cats are not adoptable. The County as well as LA City kills them after a 3 day hold. In fact, LA County has a kill rate of almost 80% for all cats impounded, whether feral, tame or kittens.

It will be tough to stop them. They insulate themselves from scientific evidence and medical logic, and they are backed by Dr. Fielding, head of County Health.

The email I received:

The L. A. County Public Health, spearheaded by Joe Ramirez, Environmental Health Specialist, phone (626) 430-5468, has contracted the L. A. County Carson Animal Shelter to trap and euthanize all feral and stray cats within the park area and wherever there is ‘human interaction’. I spoke with him on two occasions trying to negotiate allowing rescue groups to handle a relocation and adoption effort.

But he is against relocation of any sort unless in a cat sanctuary or adoption. He feels that feral/stray cats have become a National Security problem because of the ‘potential’ of spreading deadly diseases, plagues, and biohazards. His mission is to go from park to park or wherever there are strays and ferals and euthanize them. He told me that Carson said they would euthanize the cats right away, but try and get them adopted. So, either he was lying to me or they were lying to him. Either way, it’s a death sentence for all the feral and stray cats in L.A. County and then maybe elsewhere.

Input with regard to scientific data to the contrary, MAY help, but probably not. They have shown over and over that they base their decisions on their “37 years of combined experience” rather than any scientific evidence presented to them, and Dr. Fielding backs them 100%. He ought to know better.

Phone Numbers of People to Call:

MOST IMPORTANT: Jonathan Fielding: Head of County Health,

jfielding@ladhs.org, jfieldin@ucla.edu; Phone: County Health: Direct Line-(213) 240-8117; UCLA: (310) 206-1141

Joe Ramirez, (626) 430-5468—In Charge of Cat Killing

Ramirez’s Boss: Gail Vangordon: gvangordon@ladhs.org

Phone (626) 430-5450. She considers scientific evidence from outsiders laughable.

The actual rounding up and killing would be done by County Animal Services, headed by Marcia Mayeda.

IMPORTANT: Marcia Mayeda: Phone (562) 728-4882; She does the killing. mmayeda@animalcare.lacounty.gov

MOST IMPORTANT: The Supervisors: These are the decision makers:

Gloria Molina: Phone (213) 974-4111

Zev Yaroslavsky: Phone (213) 974-3333

Michael Antonovich: Phone: (213) 974-5555

Mark Ridley-Thomas: Phone (213) 974-2222

Don Knabe: Phone: 213-974-4444