This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The following is a statement from Snowball, the Utah Feral Cat, on the passage of House Bill 210:
I want to start by thanking the legislators who have worked hard to protect feral cat rights. Their work has protected the rights of feral cats who live in urban areas. Unfortunately, House Bill 210, in its current form, does not protect feral cats who live in the rural areas of Utah.
They still will be faced with an extermination order, like unto the Mormon Pioneers in Missouri, who were driven from their homes after Governor Boggs signed an extermination order. Rural feral cats will be subject to discrimination and harassment if HB210 passes. This bill also creates a burden on lazy rural house cats. They could be killed just because they look feral.
Rural feral cats are just like their urban counterparts. They work hard for a living, trying to provide for their families.
It reminds me of Morris and Maggie, feral cats living in Tabiona, Utah. Morris and Maggie have 16 kittens that they trying to feed. They fear that with the passage of HB210, a human could kill them or one of their children. Morris and Maggie have spent their lives controlling the mice population in Tabiona. If it wasn't for them, Tabiona would be overrun with mice and the hantavirus would be rampant in this small town. Stories like Morris and Maggie are all too common with rural feral cats.I urge the Legislature, on behalf of all feral cats in Utah, to defeat this bill unless changes are made. But as a sign of good faith to Rep. Oda, we are willing to compromise on this bill if he excludes cats from the definition of a feral animal. We would also like to add a provision to shoot feral dogs on sight. This would then be a bill that the feral community could support.Sincerely,Snowball, Utah's feral cat
Check back for Out of Context's exclusive two-part interview with Snowball.
— Robert GehrkeTwitter: @RobertGehrke