Dear Editor,
Leisure Bay Ratepayers Association (LBRA) and Leisure Bay Conservancy (LBC) held a meeting recently regarding the way forward in monitoring and controlling stray and feral cats of Leisure Bay.
The Lower South Coast SPCA was well represented by Scott Kvalsvig and his team, as well as Claudie Ossendryver who assists with the feral cat colony in Port Edward.
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There were others who also have an interest in helping with any feral/stray cat programs that may be implemented in Leisure Bay.
I fully agree that we need to start keeping an eye on our feral cats, and a catch, sterilise and release programme needs to be implemented asap.
However, I think that LBRA and LBC need to think a little more about their approach.
They are proposing a company from Durban called ‘Cats of Durban’ initiate the catch and sterilise programme.
Chairman of LBRA, Piet Breedt, says they will cover the R35 000 it will take to do this.
He also said that at the next meeting ‘all the specialists’ will be present.
Here is the problem I have with LBRA and LBC’s idea.
Why a company from Durban when we have all the specialists here in the immediate area – and they were in the room last Wednesday?
Stephanie Breedt made a point that Cats of Durban has a mobile clinic and has done a lot of work with feral and stray cats.
So what?
The SPCA, along with Dr Dave Watson, have been involved with feral cats for many years.
What is more important is why spend R35 000 on knowledge that will leave our area?
Why not use our specialists and let the R35 000 stay in our community for the benefit of all?
If we use locals to initiate the program, we can then get onsite training for volunteers on a regular basis.
Those volunteers will then be able to run any monitoring programme.
If we bring in an outside company, they come in, sterilise 20 or 30 animals, and leave.
Only then do our local specialists take over. Claudie offered her services, the SPCA said they are more than willing to support and assist with any program.
I think that Piet Breedt and Jenny Koen have dropped the ball here. Let’s keep any funds that will be used for the project, in our area.
That R35 000 will go a lot further if we do it that way.
I’m interested to get others’ opinions on this matter.
PHILLIP LENNON
RESPONSE FROM PIET BREEDT:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Phillip Lennon’s letter.
The aim of the meeting held by Leisure Bay Ratepayers’ Association and Leisure Bay Conservancy was to talk to residents of Leisure Bay and Glenmore to discover if everyone would be ‘on board’ if these two organisations investigated whether Leisure Bay and Glenmore have a feral cat problem, and if this is in fact so, then put a project in place to control them.
Results from the investigation will be discussed in a follow-up meeting.
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