Texas Bird Conservancy

Mission Statement: The Texas Bird Conservancy's Mission is to protect and serve avian interests in Texas. 

Our Goals:

1) Capture or eradicate all free roaming feral and domestic companion animals.

2) To serve the interests of avian conservation in the state of Texas by promoting bird friendly policies.
3) To provide an avenue to a Avian Sanctuary Designation for every bird friendly city and county in Texas.
4) To help develop Animal Control Auxiliaries in every city & county in Texas.

5) To promote a universal policy of open records for all pet registrations through out Texas.
6) To act as a voice for environmental law officers in Texas concerning feral and domestic pets.

7) To have feral cats put on the invasive species list.

8) To promote the scientific study of feral cats and their impact on our environment.
9) To support efforts to have civics as a required subject in Texas schools.
10) To work closely with trap neuter and release groups.
      

Programs:

1) Texas Bird Conservancy-Main body of members who compose the main support of our group.

2) Badges for Birds-An alliance of Animal Control Officers, Game Wardens & all other law
   enforcement  personnel interested in supporting bird friendly changes to our laws and policies.

3) Bikers for Birds-Bikers for birds brings together bikers who believe in property rights and want to
    protect our birds from free roaming cats.

4) Mothers for Change-Heart breaking stories from Mothers who have lost their unborn children or their
    childs health to diseases spread by free roaming cats. Stories will be sent to our lawmakers.
    the public, and to influential groups to save the unborn from free roaming cats.

6) Texas Bird Conservancy Sponsorship program for cities and counties in Texas. To serve notice to all
    entering a Conservancy's Sponsors area that the sponsor supports avian conservation.

7) Science for Avian Conservation-Avian professionals, avian experts and conservation groups who  
    support bird friendly law and policy.  

8) Texas Commerce for Avian Conservation-commercial awareness group for Texas  

     Bird  Conservancy. Birds mean big money in Texas.
9)  Texas Bird Conservancy civic recognition program for all local entities who support of the Texas     
     Bird Conservancy.
10) Texas Cat Alliance-network of bird conservationists and trap neuter and release groups who work
      together to protect birds and  cats.

Truth or Consequences.

Truth is a terrible burden for society. Always needed in the present tense; truth often seems unsuitable to the actual problem. Most of us use denial to avoid the day to day problem of an unsuitable or inconvienent truth. We believe the consequencenses do not exist or can be avoided or ignored. Denial often substitutes an intentional type of  ignorance, prejudice, or hate in place of reason. The rational of science or fair play goes out the window when the emotions that accompany change rise to the public arena. Situational ethics generally apply in these cases. When this happens the very worst part of denial occurs. The part that does all the damage. Delay.
          When truth is ignored delay is the inevitable consequence. Delay, in the case of free roaming feral or domestic cats is causing an avian disaster. The effects will be so far reaching we may never know the full extent of the total damage until it is too late. Cats are reported by the American Bird Conservancy to be the main invasive species causing new avian extinctions and that of many other species. Google it. None of it is good. Consider the common Norway rat. We know there are more Norway rats than native rodents where cats are residing. Where there are no cats there are less imported rats and more indigenous mice. We know cats carry disease harmful to a fetus. It is one of the first things a doctor warns an expectant mother to be careful about. Cats leave diseases that can lie dormant and undetected for as long as 18 months. Right on your porch, in your flower bed, garden or where your children play. We know the bird/cat/man vortex may give us a virus that could decimate our population and ruin our economy. We know our taxes and insurance average forty percent of our house payment in Texas. We know our rights. We know we pay for these rights to hold private property, have sensible public health protection, safe public property & the protection of our natural resources. We know our elected officials answer to the voters and that many have free roaming cats or maintain feral cats. However, we also know we elected these people to answer hard unpopular questions in a well reasoned manner.
     Knowing these things we must address the problem of free roaming cats in a manner that will be comprehensive and conclusive. Policy from on high must accompany the law to accomplish the intended goals. To remove and restrict free roaming cats from public and private property where cats are not wanted or not allowed we must act boldly and decisively. We must break the long established paradigm of free roaming and discarded pets in Texas. We must change the way we own pets, breed pets, and sell pets. Licensed owners, registered pets, licensed breeders, licensed sellers and the regulation of all handlers of all wild or feral animals must come about to insure the desired results. The truth is always the fruits of policy. Our current law and policy is regrettable on many levels and unacceptable on most. The consequences of lost wildlife, endangered citizens, damaged personal property and discarded property rights are more than most can stand. The loss of public health if a serious virus is passed by the 200 million cats to the three hundred million citizens is unimaginable. The future damage is where the fat will be cut from the bone. Then the truth and consequences of our present response will show it self to be worthy or without merit.

Citizen Remedies for Free Roaming Cats.

Citizens frustrated by free roaming cats must challenge cat owners and elected officials. In order to change the paradigm of accepted free roaming cats we must change our laws and policy. It must start on a grass roots level. The number one way to stop a particular nuisance cat is to photograph it, trap it, photogragh again and turn over to the civil authorities. If they find the owner immedately file charges and a lawsuit in the best court you can. Filing on their insurance will often affect change in te behavior of insurance compnies and pet owners alike. Strong actions gets rid of one cat or one set of cats at a time. Texas must change her pet owning habits. This will have to be forced on most folks who own cats.  2 out 3 owners let their cats run loose full or part of the time. Ask for a policy statement concerning companion animals. The police or animal control officer (ACO) should know when they get a call if a there pet is registered. If the animal is not registered there's the 1st violation. If you have pictures of the cat trespassing there's the 2nd violation. Get a picture of the cats being fed on the offenders premises. Then it is their repsonsibility if they care for it. You can ask the city for a list of registered owners and file on anyone with unregsitered animals. If the city will not release this information file an F.O.I. If they still resist the Attny General will sue on your behalf. Once the city has to spend money on a lawyer they'll fold like a chair after church.  Check on unregistered pets owned by elected officials and key city, county, state or federal employees. Call them before you file or write the paper. Often you can get support if you don't file on the important offenders or write the paper exposing them. Then it's endorse or suffer remorse. If the city or county does not want to register pets you will face the challenge of informing and reforming. Texas law allows a petition to be presented and voted on in county elections to change the animal control laws. If a city is not enforcing animal control laws the county can enter the city to enforce the laws. Laws and policy are two different things. Affecting policy is hard to do. However, if enough voters petition the elected and come to council and commissioners court the elected officials will come around. Citizens must organize to be effective.

Evacuation and feral cats

Free roaming feral and domestic cats are generally not removed when it comes time to evacuate for a storm. My doctor's mom had over 70 cats when southern Brazoria county was deluged with 26 inches of rain in just over 24 hours in 1979. When Doc went out to get his mom there were cats in the trees, on the roofs of the house and sheds. Many were killed by the floating piles of fire ants and others drowned. Doc went to feed them at his Mom's request. He put feed out in trees and on the roof of the buildings on the property. The water stood for days and days. This illustrates the reason why free roaming cats should be eradicated by humane methods to relieve the suffering cats endure when living outdoors. Many owners and colony operators have the attitude that after all it is "just a cat". This disappears when someone brings up ideas of restricting free roaming cats. Perhaps the cat ranchers and owners of unrestricted outdoor cats will eventually come around to the idea that our companion animals should be euthanized rather than suffer the vagaries of outdoor life....especially when another hurricane Katrina comes our way again. .

Texas Legislature Ignores Avian Science

From the Alley Cat Allies News Letter, Dateline, May 11, 2009 -" Following calls from Alley Cat Allies and our advocates, Texas Senate clarifies there is no intent to call cats “invasive species.”Our voices were heard! Facing calls from Alley Cat Allies and our supporters to clarify an invasive species bill, the sponsor published a statement of legislative intent in the Senate Journal stating that there was no intent to classify cats or dogs as invasive species.
Although the statement makes clear that the Senate does not intend cats to be invasive species, the statement is only guidance, not binding language of law. While state agencies typically follow the guidance of the legislature, Alley Cat Allies will monitor the Texas departments overseeing invasive species control to make sure they do no harm to cats. In the unlikely event further action is needed, we will alert you".
Read the Statement of Legislative Intent in the Texas Senate Journal. LIST
As long as feral cats are kept off the invasive species list, TP&W's hands are tied. This type of reasoning is why I am hoping to form a non-profit group to work on this issue state wide. County seat by county seat we will be taking this issue to the folks of Texas who are tired of cat owners enjoying a special staus in our society. So if you have paint damage, or a cat has sprayed your car interior, have garden or landscape damage, fleas and other parasites brought to your dog, your bimini on your boat shredded and most importantly your avian neighbors killed, then you will soon have a group working soley on this issue. We'll be selling T-shirts and other mechandise and soliciting donations to get the start up money. Watch this blog And I'll announce the date the launch of the web site will be online.

Texas Bird Conservancy Adopts Audubons Cat Resolution

Texans view property right as an important topic. Many love our pets like they're our children. Many don't desereve their pets. Basic neighborhood civics is part and parcel of the free roaming cat issue. Most believe in the do unt oothers creed. So, if you let your cat run loose and it uses my car or porch for a waste station it makes me think you are not of the same school. Maybe you don't want to clean out a litter box or train your pet. Have heart. Dog kennels can be used as cat habitats with a little thought. If you want to help I am starting an effort to change laws and policies in Brazoria county. Lake Jackson Texas is our 1st stop. L.J. has an exemption to their leash law allowing cats to roam at will. It is home to the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and multiple refuges. We are in the middle of some of the most important bird habitat in the USA. We have more species than most any county in North America. Here's a write up by an Audubon writer we endorse but plan on expanding. I'll post more about Lake Jackson and who to call soon.



Cats

by Susan Roney Drennan,National Audubon Society
If anyone ever needed more proof that people love cats, consider that the longest-running show in Broadway history, based on T.S. Eliot's poems in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, with music by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, is none other than Cats. Now in its second decade on Broadway, it has grossed over $2.2 billion and been seen by 47 million people worldwide.
People have been captivated by the beauty and nature of cats for about the last 4,000 years, since the first cats were domesticated in Egypt. They were introduced to Europe about 2,000 years ago and came to North America when Europeans colonized this continent. In America, the domesticated cat is the most numerous pet, numbering about 60 million, according to U.S. Census data. In fact, nearly 30% of households have them. Careful estimates place free-ranging, feral cats at about 40 million. The combined total of 100 million cats nationwide is astonishing. Each of those animals must eat. Feral cats eat predominantly birds, rodents, and small mammals. Domesticated cats, even when fed regularly by their owners, retain their motivation to hunt. These cats also prey on the same animals that feral cats do. It is easy to see why the question of cats is a growing subject of controversy around the country.
At the most recent meeting of the National Audubon Society Board of Directors, the cat issue was addressed both as a policy matter and because some Audubon chapters have become involved in the issue in their local communities. After lengthy discussion, the Board voted to adopt a resolution regarding the cat issue. It took the following salient and science-based points into consideration before passing the resolution:
Feral and free-ranging cats kill millions of native birds and other small animals annually;
Birds constitute approximately 20%-30% of the prey of feral and free-ranging domestic cats;
The American Ornithologists' Union, American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc., and the Cooper Ornithological Society have concluded that feral, homeless, lost, abandoned, or free-ranging domestic cats are proven to have serious negative impacts on bird populations, and have contributed to the decline of many bird species. Worldwide, cats may have been involved in the extinction of more bird species than any other cause, except habitat destruction;
Feral cat colony management programs known by the acronym TTVNR (Trapped, Tested, Vaccinated, Neutered, Released) are not effective solutions to the problem. In fact, these cat colonies are usually fed by very well-meaning cat welfare groups. The unnatural colonies form around food sources and grow to the limits of the food supply. Feeding these strays does not prevent them from hunting; it only maintains high densities of cats that dramatically increase predation on and competition with native wildlife populations;
Free-roaming cats are likely to come in contact with rabid wild animals and thus spread the disease to people. They pose a risk to the general public through transmission of other diseases like toxoplasmosis, feline leukemia, distemper, and roundworm.
The resolution approved by the Board states that the Society will convey these science-based conclusions to Audubon chapters so that they will be in a position to work constructively on this issue, if they wish. Audubon will also work with scientific, conservation, and animal welfare communities to educate the public about the dangers that feral and free-roaming cats pose to birds and other native wildlife. It will also work on this issue with federal wildlife agencies, public health organizations, and legislative bodies as it decides are appropriate.
The National Audubon Society advocates responsible ownership of all pets.
Note: See the NAS Board Resolution
Back to CN III, 1
New update in Texas. Property rights and the environment be damned the Texas Legislature goes against science and the TP&W----This was posted in the Alley Cat Allies Newletter-- Advocating Against Policies that Harm Cats This month, cats were protected in Texas thanks to calls for change from Alley Cat Allies and our advocates. The Texas legislature was considering a poorly worded bill that could have led to the killing of countless Texas cats. The bill, S.B. 691, aimed to control, prevent and eradicate invasive species—introduced species that threaten the economy, the environment, or human health. But the bill's language was so broad and vague that cats could qualify as invasive species and could lead to many being impounded and killed. Facing outcry from Alley Cat Allies and our advocates, the bill’s sponsor published a statement of legislative intent stating that there was no intent to classify cats or dogs as invasive species. Although the statement makes clear that the Senate does not intend cats to be invasive species, the statement is only guidance, not binding language of law. While state agencies typically follow the guidance of the legislature, Alley Cat Allies will monitor the Texas departments overseeing invasive species control to make sure they do no harm to cats