Know the facts before making accusations
To the editor:
Regarding the letter last week concerning the coyotes and cats. To Edith Schulte, let me enlighten you. According to the Lee County Ordinance #09-20 Section 13: Prohibiting Animals from Running at Large.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any animal, to permit that animal to stray, run, go or roam at large in or upon any public street, sidewalk, school grounds, in the area of school vehicles, beaches, parks or on the private property of others without the consent of the owner of such property.
B. Any animal found in violation of this section may be impounded.
C. Any property owner or tenant upon property may seize unrestrained animals, unattended animals, or animals at large on his or her property. Any person seizing an unrestrained, or animal at large shall capture the animal in a safe and humane manner, and may employ certain humane traps for such purpose.
Section 9: Nuisance Animals
A. It shall be unlawful for (2) any animal to damage the property of anyone other than its owner.
That being stated, let me add that Tropic Isle Park has a strictly enforced leash clause in its rules and regulations.
First off you do not even live in Tropic Isle, so you don’t know the circumstances surrounding the lady of which you were so disrespectful. This woman is an animal lover and her cat never is allowed to be at large. But some are not as law abiding. These roaming cats are tearing up her lanai screens trying to get in after her cat! They howl and carry on till all hours of the morning. So she trapped a cat. Would you rather Animal Services did it? Then it sits in a cage till its put to sleep with the hundreds of others each year. You say they “are not used to living on their own,’ but they never seem to have a problem hanging around our park for months on end. And did you follow her on her bicycle? How do you know she didn’t return the cat to its owner?
You should know the facts before tossing around accusations. This park is private property and we take very good care of our pets and don’t need diseased, flea infested vermin cats threatening our cats, dogs and birds. So I’d pay more attention to your own yard and stay out of the ones you have no business being in.
Joseph Tulanowski
Bokeelia