Alley Cat Allies Denounces Loews' Decision to Trap and Remove Cats at Orlando Resort

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Mar 29, 2012, 02:43 ET

Cats face death at animal control; decision called "hypocritical and heartless"

BETHESDA, Md., March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alley Cat Allies, the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats, today reacted to a decision by the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel & Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Fla. to trap and remove a colony of cats who have lived at the property for years as part of a successful Trap-Neuter-Return program. Loews announced plans to "relocate" the cats to a local animal control facility, where they will likely be killed unless other arrangements can be found for them.

"This announcement from Loews is nothing more than a fairy tale meant to divert attention from the reality of the situation. These cats are not being 'relocated' to another outdoor home, but are being torn from the only home they have known, trapped by a pest control company, and taken to the local animal control," said Becky Robinson, president and co-founder of Alley Cat Allies. "Feral cats who enter animal shelters face a death sentence. Nationwide, 70 percent of all cats taken to shelters are killed—and for feral cats, that number rises to virtually 100 percent."

"Loews markets itself as a 'pet-friendly' company, but the truth is more sinister," said Robinson. "Loews refused to consider humane options for the cats despite our and others' repeated invitations to work with the company to address their concerns."

The cats at the Loews resort are feral cats. They are not socialized to people and cannot be adopted, but live peacefully among their colony. The cats are part of a longtime Trap-Neuter-Return program, in which local caregivers have ensured the cats are neutered, vaccinated, and fed. Trap-Neuter-Return is the only effective and humane approach to feral cats, because it ends the breeding cycle, stabilizes the population and makes the cats healthier and better neighbors.

"The cats at the Loews property are living healthy, quality lives. The population is stable, and the cats are not interfering with guests or operations at the resort. There is no good reason to move them," said Robinson. "This decision by Loews to send the cats to their death is hypocritical and heartless."

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than 260,000 supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities, and organizations save and improve the lives cats and kittens nationwide. Their web site is www.alleycat.org.

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Becky Robinson -- http://www.profnetconnect.com/becky_robinson

SOURCE Alley Cat Allies