Lake Worth Beach City Limits: Dale E. Gawlik, Certified Wildlife Biologist, on cats and TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release)

Friday, June 5, 2015

Dale E. Gawlik, Certified Wildlife Biologist, on cats and TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release)

The fur has been flying, so to speak, ever since May 27th when a Post editorial was published questioning the TNVR program and cats. Our unique south Florida bird populations are being decimated by both pet cats and feral ones also. Something has to be done and almost everyone, including environmentalists and activists you would think organize and make this a "Call to Action", are stepping around this issue.

Dale E. Gawlik, a Wildlife Biologist, has a Letter to the Editor in the Post with his thoughts on the hypocrisy of efforts by Palm Beach County on this issue:

As a professor and researcher on wetland birds, I have been aware of a growing body of science showing that TNVR policies degrade our environment by increasing predation on native animals. [emphasis added]
By approving the TNVR policy, Palm Beach County effectively undermined its other conservation efforts. Environmental protection is one of the county’s goals and is a priority in its 2015 budget, giving justification for the $39 million it appropriated for environmental resources management.
This funding supports a strong program of removing invasive species on conservation lands. But at the same time, the county approved $200,000 for TNVR, effectively stocking our environment with feral predators. These two policies are inconsistent.

[And later. . .]

The most effective solutions supported by the conservation community require difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions: 1. recognizing that cats are an invasive species; 2. imposing fines on owners who refuse to control their pets; 3. mandatory sterilization of pets, except for breeding purposes; 4. prohibiting feral-cat colonies and feeding stations; 5. increasing cat-adoption efforts; and 6. acknowledging the legitimate role of euthanasia, when necessary.

Lake Worth is one city with a terrible problem when it comes to feral cats. Could this be the main reason you see so few birds in the City? Here is a recent news segment by Jonathan Beaton at CBS12/WPEC.