Letter to the Editor: New Winter Park cat policy is wrong

As a resident of Winter Park for the last 30 years and a recently retired professor of humanities at Valencia College’s Winter Park Campus after 25 years of teaching, I am extremely distressed and upset by the new policy concerning the cats at Mead Gardens. I just found out about it when I read the Winter Park/Maitland Observer article (I thought the headline was atrocious by the way).

As Gandhi said: “The level of civilization of a society is reflected in how its animals are treated.” Do you mean to tell me that a rich, prosperous city like Winter Park can’t come up with a better solution to end the abandonment of cats at Mead Garden other than to punish and penalize humane people who are feeding the innocent, defenseless cats, who are victims of human cruelty, ignorance, and indifference? REALLY?

As an educator, I have always taught my students humane values. With this policy, it is kindness and compassion that are being punished and cruelty is being rewarded.

I have lived in California where many cities and counties have trap, spay, and neuter and re-release programs, which are extremely successful. Just contact Alley Cat Allies to learn of the thousands of successful colonies throughout the United States that have feeding stations set up by humane citizens.

This policy is clearly cruel and misguided and offends every civilized, humane, and enlightened person in Winter Park and on this planet.

The best way to end animal overpopulation is through mandatory spay and neuter laws, which have been successfully implemented in many parts of California.

You can also build catteries, which are enclosed areas where the animals are protected and can be monitored. You can also adopt many of the friendlier cats.

Clearly, the city needs to reconsider such a barbaric, inhumane, and uncivilized policy. FYI, I am an active member of the University Club, the English-Speaking Union, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, the Morse Museum, the OMA, and the Polasek Museum, and all of my friends in the community wholeheartedly agree with me that this is an atrocious policy that MUST BE RESCINDED.

Thanks for your time.

— Trudy McNair