Mistrial in bird-watcher’s cat-shooting trial

November 16, 2007

From the Associated Press:

The trial of a prominent birdwatcher accused of animal cruelty for shooting a cat ended in a mistrial Friday after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict.

Jim Stevenson, the founder of the Galveston Ornithological Society, has admitted he shot the cat last fall because he saw it hunting a threatened species of bird near the San Luis Bridge Pass. If convicted, he would have faced up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The trial sparked an Internet debate between cat lovers who decry Stevenson’s actions and birders upset by the toll feral cats take on bird species. It’s also raised questions about what makes an animal a pet, especially if it lives outside.

Jurors deliberated for more than eight hours before the judge declared the mistrial.

“The jury was hopelessly deadlocked, so the government has to decide if they are going to waste more of taxpayers’ money trying this again,” said Stevenson’s attorney, Tad Nelson. “But they can try this a thousand times and they will never get a guilty because he didn’t commit a felony.”

Nelson said his client thought the cat was a stray. A state law bars the killing of domesticated animals without the owner’s permission.

But prosecutors argued that a toll bridge worker took care of the cat and named it “Mama Cat,” effectively becoming the pet’s owner. And they say Stevenson could have easily realized that if he’d looked around the bridge before firing.

The New York Times had a good piece on this case yesterday:

Mr. Stevenson, 54, does not deny using a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a scope to kill the cat, which lived under the San Luis Pass toll bridge, linking Galveston to the mainland. He also admits killing many other cats on his own property, where he operates a bed and breakfast for some of the estimated 500,000 birders who come to the island every year.

In her opening statement, Paige L. Santell, a Galveston County assistant district attorney, told the jury of eight women and four men that Mr. Stevenson “shot that animal in cold blood” and that the cat died a slow and painful death “gurgling on its own blood.”

She said that the cat had a name, Mama Cat, and that though the cat lived under a toll bridge, she was fed and cared for by a toll collector, John Newland. He is expected to testify.

Whether the cat was feral is the crucial point in this case. Mr. Stevenson was indicted under a state law that prohibited killing a cat “belonging to another.” Prompted by this case, the law was changed on Sept. 1 to include all cats, regardless of ownership.

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Filed under: animals: pets, animals:general, feral cats — Gina Spadafori @ 3:59 pm

Veterinarians stepping up for feral cats

November 11, 2007

Feral cats in Hawaii, image by Richard Schmidt

This weekend the National Feral Cat Summit is being held in Orlando. Considering that Alley Cat Allies held a National Cat Advocacy Seminar last month in Washington, D.C., the case can be made that the tide is turning when it comes to feral cats and trap, neuter, release programs.

In publicizing its involvement in this weekend’s Florida feral fandango, the HSUS cites the results of its unhelpfully small but nonetheless interesting study, if one imagines the results would hold up with a proper sample:

The HSUS conducted surveys at several 2007 veterinary conferences and found that 40 percent of those who responded are veterinarians in private practice who provide services for feral cats at reduced costs. Almost half of the respondents were inspired to help at the urging of a client or feral cat advocacy group.

[...]

Of the 81 veterinarians in private practice:

73 respondents (90 percent) help feral cats in their community.
44 percent became involved at the request of a client*
33 percent became involved at the request of a feral cat group*
* Others became involved as veterinary students, through another
veterinarian or working at an animal shelter.

Eight respondents do not help feral cats in their community.
50 percent indicated that they never had the opportunity
25 percent indicated that they did not support TNR
25 percent did not give a reason for not helping

The study was sent by e-mail and I couldn’t find it online. I’ve asked them to put in up and send me the URL, so I’ll link to the entire release when I get it.

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Filed under: feral cats — Gina Spadafori @ 5:27 am
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