Letter from Alley Cat Allies to Kevin Clark, CEO of Critter Control:
RE: Animal Cruelty Conviction of Critter Control Franchise Owner
Dear Mr. Clark,
This letter is to inform you that a Critter Control franchise owner was convicted recently of animal cruelty for killing feral cats. In addition, be advised that Critter Control's website contains incorrect statements and outdated material which may have encouraged this franchise owner and others to unlawfully trap and kill cats. As the national advocate for stray and feral cats, Alley Cat Allies lurges you to correct the website and otherwise alert franchise owners that state anti-cruelty laws protect all cats regardless of ownership.
I. Critter Control Franchise Owner Convicted of Animal Cruelty
On August 14, 2008, Keith Copi, the owner of a Critter Control franchise in suburban Richmond, Virginia, was convicted in Henrico County General District Court on three counts of animal cruelty for killing three feral cats. For each conviction, Copi was sentenced to jail for a period of 12 months, suspended on the condition of good behaviour. He was assessed close to $1000 in fines and costs, and he also incurred the cost of hiring a defense attorney. Moreover, his business reputation, and that of Critter Control, was marred by a highly public trial and conviction. The case received widespread publicity regionally, generating at least seven stories in the local print and televised media, and Copi's conviction was reported in a national ABC news article.
II. Critter Control's Website Contains Inaccurate Statemants About Animal Cruelty Laws
Errorneous statements on Critter Control's website may have contributed to this situation. The website inaccurately advises that "unidentified cats are rarely protected" under state laws, and it disseminates information on control methods for cats, some of which are illegal or ineffective.
However, as this conviction underscores, such representations are incorrect. All cats - pet, stray and feral - are protected under the animal cruelty laws of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Animal cruelty laws apply regardless of whether the cat is owned or unowned, identified or unidentified. The Virginia cruelty law under which Copi was convicted is representative. That law prohibits, among many other actions, any person from engaging in conduct that "cruelly or unnecessarily ... kills any animal."
If followed, the information on Critter Control's website could cause readers to break the law and face prosecution for cruelty. To avoid such future incidents, and the legal liability that could accompany them, you should remove the offending page on the website, and cease to make any statements relating to the supposed lack of legal protection afforded to stray and feral cats. The franchise owners would be well advised to seek legal advice form a local attorney in specific situations involving cats.
III. Care and Concern for Outdoor Cats is Widespread in the U.S. Today
Be advised that the cats killed by your franchise owner were part of a feral cat colony whose caregivers discovered the fate of the cats and set in motion the cruelty prosecution. That these feral cats were cared for is not unusual; the managers of this colony are just a few of the hundreds of thousands across the country who care for stray and feral cats. These caregivers, and groups that support them, feed, vaccinate, and spay and neuter cats, thus improving the lives of the oudoor cats and their compatibillity with local residents. They have shown that non-lethal methods are successful in caring for and stopping the reproduction of these cats. Numerous local governments have acknowledged caregivers' successful efforts, and many have recognized non-lethal management of outdoor cats as the preferred approach. This humane ethic is supported by the vast majority of Americans: in a national survey, 81% of Americans thought it was more humane to let a stray cat live out her life outdoors than to catch and kill her.
As Critter Control strives to build a reputation for humane wildlife management, we urge your agents to cease trapping of cats and instead provide the public with information on non-lethal forms of cat management. Enclosed is information about the management of stray and feral cats, more of which is available on Alley Cat Allies' website (
www.alleycat.org). Following such a course may prevent future incidents where a Critter Control franchise owner is convicted of animal cruelty for killing cats.
Sincerely,
Wendy M. Anderson
Director, Department of Law and Policy
Enclosures
cc: Critter Control Franchise Owners