The above story is about Cam's ghastly encounter with the pest controller from hell and a feral cat.
I was shocked to the point that I needed to write a letter to the local council about this matter. Thankfully, the team at the Kalgoorlie Boulder Council were also disgusted by the act and have requested the RSPCA to investigate the matter.
Below is the reply to my email sent to the council, and my original email.
Dear Randall
Thank you for your email regarding this unfortunate matter.
As such, I have the line management responsibility for animal control within the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
In the case of animal control, the City as a local government within Western Australia has responsibility under the Dog Act and its associated regulations to deal with dogs. There is no such legislation for the control of cats except where the Animal Welfare Act which allows certain officers to remove injured animals.
Until recently, the City would remove feral cats. However, this was changed in light of legal advice that the City could be held legally liable for disposing of a cat that may belong to another person.
The practice used by the contractor in this instance was inappropriate and regrettable. As a cat owner all my life, I found this incident very distressing and one of utter disbelief that such practices are still used in this day and age.
Accordingly, the RSPCA has now been requested by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder to investigate this incident and I have directed the Ranger Services Branch to look at alternative arrangements for the removal of feral cats. I also understand that Peter Wilden the City's Senior Ranger, who handled and acted in good faith in this matter, has spoken to Cameron and they have discussed the above outcomes.
Should you need to discuss this matter further or if I can provide further advice, please contact me.
Regards
Sean Fletcher
Manager Governance and Administration
PO Box 2042
BOULDER WA 6432
Ph: 9021 9625
Fax: 9021 6113
Email: Sean_Fletcher@kalbould.wa.gov.au
To
mailbag@kalbould.wa.gov.au
cc
Subject
Cruelty to animals, pest or not...
Dear Sir
I am writing to you in disbelief after a friend of mine told me of what had happened at his home yesterday. My friend had a feral cat invade his home and terrorise his pets. He managed to lock it in the laundry, because it was 2am, and the next day (yesterday) called the ranger to arrange a humane removal of the animal.
After contacting the ranger, he said he couldn't do anything unless the animal was injured. I don't know how this could be correct as I often see ranger vehicles collecting stray dogs that appear in fine health to me. Anyway, the ranger put him onto a pest control service that the council had previously used.
The pest controller arrived and proceeded to beat the cat to death with a baton in my friend's laundry. This is appalling!! The fact that this heathen would use this manner to end the cat's life is terrible, but to
do it in front of my friend and his partner is disgusting and irresponsible!!
I believe the rules for the ranger should be changed to accommodate situations like this, and not advise people to use this imcompetent pest controller for anything but bug extermination.
No comments:
Post a Comment