(July 14, 2008) -- LBReport.com has received a statement from California State University Long Beach (CSULB) regarding coyotes spotted on campus...and a campus feral cat colony that the administration sought to eliminate as a coyote food source.
On July 12, the Press-Telegram reported that long-time campus cat volunteers had been given forty days (from July 10) to the remove the cats...or the feral felines would be dealt with by Animal Control (with possible euthanasia consequences).
As first reported July 13 by LBReport.com, demonstrators held a media event outside CSULB (which drew LB and L.A. media outlets) urging the administration to trap and remove the coyotes, not the cats.
Late in the business day July 14, LBReport.com received the following statement from CSULB:
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With continued concerns surrounding sightings of coyotes on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, the California Department of Fish and Game conducted an investigation on the CSULB campus this past weekend. The Department is the only agency with jurisdiction to authorize action regarding the coyotes. In the next several days, university officials expect to receive the Department's formal report of the findings.
The university's first concern is for its community, especially children who attend child care and numerous summer camps on campus.
Coyotes prey upon a variety of small animals, including cats, squirrels, rabbits and rodents. While volunteers have dedicated themselves to the care and feeding of approximately 100 feral cats on campus, the 15 or so feeding stations on campus are where these cats tend to cluster. Unfortunately, the coyotes have discovered the feeding stations as well as the availability of cats to prey upon. For these reasons, the university has called for removal of the cats within the next 40 days in order to ensure the continued safety of the campus community.
The university will assist volunteers in trapping the feral cats so that they can be made available for adoption or placement in a shelter. The campus is willing to work with any organization that can aid in the placement of these cats.
This is a very difficult situation for all parties involved. The feral cat population at the university has grown despite volunteer efforts to spay and neuter them because community members continue to use the campus as a place to drop off unwanted pets or litters. Not all of the cats on campus have been vaccinated and neutered.
University officials understand that removal of the feral cat population is a difficult and emotionally charged situation, and are hopeful that volunteers will agree to move away from the status quo, which leaves feral cats at continued risk to coyotes, and will assist in locating new homes for them.
Developing.
LBReport.com Contributing Editor / Animal Specialist Miriam Yarden has perspective on the situation: click here.
