Port Authority Begins Extermination of Cats at JFK Airport

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For immediate release
Contact: Neighborhood Cats
212-662-5761


PORT AUTHORITY REJECTS PUBLIC OUTCRY,
BEGINS EXTERMINATION OF JFK CATS

Port Authority Caught Lying About Cats' Fate

(New York, Oct. 29, 2007) Despite an avalanche of criticism from
thousands of outraged members of the public, the Port Authority of NY
and NJ began trapping feral cats at JFK Airport over this past weekend
with the plan of exterminating them. Rescuers were barred from feeding
or attempting to rescue the cats and were threatened with arrest by
federal wildlife officials from USDA. In addition, a Port Authority
spokesman admitted to the NY Post his agency had lied when telling the
public last Friday the cats would all be adopted into good homes. The
NY Post confirmed the cats would be put down immediately instead. (See
"Frequent Liars." )

Experienced feral cat workers have also refuted the Port Authority's
claim the cats pose a risk to aviation because their food supposedly
attracts seagulls. "That's another lie and a fright tactic designed to
fool the public. JFK Airport is located near the ocean and has
mountains of trash strewn all over the grounds. That's why there are
seagulls, not because of an insignificant amount of cat food," said
Bryan Kortis, Executive Director of Neighborhood Cats.

Experts point out that cats are usually blamed for killing birds, not
attracting them, that feeding cats can be done in a manner that leaves
no food for birds, and that there is no study or other report
suggesting a link between the presence of cats at an airport and an
aviation risk.

In addition, the admitted desire of JFK wildlife biologist Laura
Francoeur to create a "cat-free" airport is doomed to failure. Similar
attempts at countless other locations have repeatedly failed to
overcome the constant appearance of new cats and their reproductive
ability. Only through sterilization and long-term monitoring by
caretakers (that is, Trap-Neuter-Return or "TNR") can the cats' numbers
be reduced.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

Phone, fax and email the people listed below and demand Port Authority
suspend the trapping immediately and meet with representatives of the
NYC Feral Cat Initiative and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals to
come up with a humane, effective feral cat management plan. The people
contacted on Friday refuse to meet, so now let's talk to their bosses.
Please review the three talking points at the end of this letter so you
know how to respond to their PR dept's fabrications.

WHO TO CONTACT

Anthony Shorris
Executive Director
Port Authority of NY and NJ
(212) 435-7271


Shawn Larenti, Director
Government and Community Relations Dept.
Port Authority of NY and NJ
(212) 435-6903


Charles E. Meara
NYC Community Relations Dept.
Port Authority of NY and NJ
(917) 596-0492


Port Authority Corporate Headquarters
(212) 435-7000 (get a live person on the line and demand to speak to
someone about the JFK situation)

Susan Baer (let's try reasoning with her again, this time not accepting
Port Authority lies) General Manager, JFK Airport
718-244-3501


TALKING POINTS: PORT AUTHORITY KILLS CATS AND THE TRUTH

LIE #1: "The cats will all be adopted into good homes."

THE TRUTH: Feral cats are unadoptable and usually are immediately put
down when brought to shelters, as Port Authority plans to do. Port
Authority ADMITTED LYING to the public about this in the NY Post
article, "Frequent Liars", published Saturday, October 27, 2007.

LIE #2: "Feeding the cats attracts seagulls and the birds are an
aviation threat."

THE TRUTH: Seagulls are at the airport because JFK is NEAR THE OCEAN!!
And because there are tons of trash strewn about the airport's grounds.
There is not enough cat food to attract large numbers of birds and
there is no food left anyway when the cats finish eating. Cats hunt
birds, they don't attract them. There is ZERO evidence proving a link
between the presence of cats at an airport and an aviation risk. DON'T
BE GULL-IBLE!!!

LIE #3: "We can achieve a cat-free airport."

THE TRUTH: You can't wipe out the presence of feral cats in a 5000 acre
area in which new, unneutered cats are constantly being abandoned or
lost and then reproducing, and where there are plentiful food sources.
Only Trap-Neuter-Return can, over time, reduce the numbers. The Port
Authority's extermination effort is futile and will only result in new
furry faces, not fewer. The killing is senseless.

For more on the NYC Feral Cat Initiative: http://www.nycferalcat.org
For more on the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals:
http://www.animalalliancenyc.org For more on Neighborhood Cats:
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org