THURSDAY 11/27: Golf Cart Raffle for Eastern Shore Spay Organization
Eastern Shore Spay Organization (ESSO) is raffling a golf cart to help purchase a “Neuter Scooter” for the Eastern Shore. The drawing will be Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m. on the steps of the Civic Center. Mayor Proto will pull the winning tickets.
Tickets are $25 or 5 for $100. A maximum of 500 tickets will be sold. Tickets available online at www.easternshorespayorg.com. The golf cart comes from Eastern Shore Custom Carts.
Eastern Shore Custom Carts has been incredibly supportive. Malcolm and Shane are generously displaying the cart and selling tickets. The golf cart was custom built for us but we do have to pay for it before we make any money on the raffle.
Thank you to all our generous supporters, some who bought tickets even if they don’t want a golf cart. We are doing our best to help the local animals. The animals thank you too!
Tickets on line or sold at ES Custom Carts and Bad Girlz on Mason.
Part of the local animals include a group of 14 (last count) feral cats that are routinely fed at the old trailer park on Madison Ave. The people that do this think they are doing the animal world a favor. Here’s something to think about before you join the here kitty, kitty bandwagon. Read what PETA and The Audubon Society have to say about sustaining feral cats. Ground nesting birds have been driven off the East Coast. Song birds, squirrels and rabbits have lost their natural balance in areas where a population of feral cats exist. When it rains these poor cats seek shelter under buildings, under cars and in foyers of buildings. In the summer they suffer fleas and ticks (we had to spray our golf cart). Who knows what they suffer through the winter. There are many winter nights when it is not fit outside for man nor beast. Weather reporters routinely preach to “bring your pets inside tonight” during cold snaps. But what is most incredible is the ignorance of, or total denial of the danger of toxoplasmosis; aka cat scratch fever. Incidentally, toxoplasmosis is not caused by scratches. It’s caused by cat feces. I have talked to a medical doctor and a veterinarian about this. Both answers were the same. There is no real risk to healthy adolescents and adults. However, there are real risks during pregnancy and for pre-school children. Then there is this from WebMD: “Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a blood borne parasite that can threaten the life of an unborn child. One, of many, ways you can get the infection is by handling soil or cat litter that contains cat feces.” The American Humane Society weighs in as follows: “You don’t have to panic and get rid of your cat if you become pregnant. The chances are remote. Just ask a family member or friend to empty the litter box. Keep your cat indoors as the greatest risk is from outdoor cats that catch and eat vermin and other small mammals.” Statements like that make me wonder just how remote the risk is? So let the debate begin. I have had the unfortunate experience to spend the last 90 days amidst this situation and here is what I routinely see. The children’s playground is one of the most used facilities in Cape Charles. I’ve seen pregnant women munching snacks and witnessed toddlers crawling all over the ground. At night I’ve seen the cats from across the street treat the playground as the world’s largest litter box. The mulch and shavings make the conditions ideal. I’ve watched many dog owners walk through the park and have yet to see one not pick up after their dog defecated. It’s part of the Town Code. Who is picking up after these feral cats? Who is getting them a license (NH County law)? Feeding these poor, unwanted creatures may assuage some people’s guilt on how they got here in the first place, and that is truly a shame. I’m leaving this place in a few days and I feel guilty for all the times I’ve seen pregnant women and toddlers in the playground and said nothing. After all, what pregnant mom wants yet another scary bit of information in an already intense situation. I’m an admitted mysophobic, but that aside, no way would an infant of mine play in that playground. Someone in a position of authority should step up and get a professional evaluation of this risk. We find time and money for all manner of studies in Cape Charles. The Bay is not the only thing in Cape Charles that looks so inviting but can contain hidden risks to the very young or uninformed. I am not a cat hater. We take care of some sweet as can be cats for family from time to time. I am very much for responsible pet ownership. Maintaining a herd of feral cats on someone else’s property is the epitome of irresponsibility.
While there are a few outlier organizations that think killing ferals is “humane,” the vast weight of opinion on the topic is that trap, neuter and release is the most effective and most humane way to deal with feral cat populations. Although most folks share the opinion that Eastern Shore – Cape Charles feral cat populations need attention, some of us are actually doing something about it with our own time and money. That is why we formed Eastern Shore Spay Organization, Inc. and have taken the time and effort to qualify it as a tax-exempt charitable organization.
Northampton County already has Animal Control officials, and I do believe that they cut our group and others (and the cats that we neuter, feed, medicate, and care for) some slack because they recognize that groups like ours are taking steps in the right direction.
Out of the 14, give or take, cats that Mr. Burke describes, a dozen have already been neutered and we aren’t finished yet. A colony behind Rayfield’s is being neutered, as well as cats at Aqua and behind Dollar General. Sandy Mayer has placed at least 20 kittens with the Virginia Beach and Norfolk SPCA’s for adoption. Sharyl Cline is working on a colony in Townsend. We each have several cats at our homes too.
Mr. Burke claims not to be a cat hater, but he sure is no cat lover. If he was, he could bend down and pet one once in a while and he wouldn’t turn six shades of red when discussing how the ferals should be put down. If Mr. Burke would like to make a positive contribution to the lives of local ferals, we would welcome his help in building some shelters for the cats that we feed, medicate, and love. Our goals are the same. We are all trying to control local feral cat populations.
The affection that members of our group share with the cats we maintain after they are neutered is worth the effort. I don’t think my cats would prefer to be dead. If anyone does, take trip up to the county shelter and visit some of the cats and dogs that aren’t so lucky.
PS – The cat scratch fever bacteria, despite its origin, is ordinarily transmitted via a deep cat scratch that is not properly cleaned afterwards. As a cat rangler, I had it once. A 5-day run of a popular antibiotic cured me. I’d be curious to know what the infant mortality rate from cat scratch fever is in the USA.
Pete Baumann
President, Eastern Shore Spay Organization, Inc.
A life long Cape Charles resident Mrs. Henrietta Morris told me a story that about 10 years ago animal control rounded up all the extra cats in town and destroyed them. The bay area homes were over run by rodents and rats from the harbor. When you get rats you naturally get snakes. Is that your preference Mr. Burke, rats and snakes? How is that for your mysophobia? Rats carry diseases that I prefer not to think about. You should be grateful to the few neutered cats that keep our harbor town free of unwanted vermin. Maybe you should even support our efforts and let the cats do their job, they ask for so little in return.
Thanks to the Wave for supporting our raffle efforts and all our generous supporters.