Glennda forwarded us a letter she sent to a Florida Walmart that she says is going to kill a gang of feral cats who have been camping out in the store’s garden section.

The letter:

I was appalled to find out that once again your managers at the Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #[redacted], in [redacted] FL, are preparing to hire a trapper to remove and ultimately destroy the six remaining feral cats living in the garden center area. Also, according to what I have learned, a recent directive handed down to the managers by a Mr. [redacted], from the district offices, ordered local managers to get rid of the cats immediately.

Perhaps he and the others were not aware of the intervention of the Walmart Customer Relations Department on behalf of these very same cats in January 2008.

Cat Call, A local animal rescue organization, was involved in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR*) at this store prior to receiving word that a trapper had been hired by Walmart management to remove all the cats for destruction.

*(TNR is the method of humanely trapping feral cats, having them spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and then returning them to their colony to live out their lives. TNR also involves a colony caretaker who provides food, adequate shelter and monitors the cats’ health. TNR has been shown to be the least costly as well as the most efficient and humane way of stabilizing feral cat populations.)

Once the Customer Relations Department got involved, the trapping was immediately discontinued by the trappers hired by Walmart Store #[redacted]. Since then, many caretakers have continued to monitor the colony, including feeding and building more shelters for the homeless cats.

I implore you to reconsider your decision to once again kill these and any other harmless, healthy cats that pose no threat to the public. WalMart supposedly prides itself on being a “community minded” company and TNR is a community minded effort. It is shocking to me that a company who would partner with the ASPCA in celebrating the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Month (http://www2.aspca.org/site/MessageViewer?dlv_id=0&em_id=69324.0) would so callously seek to destroy small animals that have known no other home their entire lives.

I can assure you that if this cat killing takes place, activists from all around the world will work very hard to drag Walmart’s name into the muddy depths of corporate killers. Right now, there are hundreds of supporters on standby who are more than willing to publicly protest these killings and to boycott your stores all across Florida. No doubt, cat lovers across the country will also join in our efforts.

I challenge you to think of this TNR program as an extension to your partnership with Fish & Wildlife in the “Acres for America” program because feral cats are part of wildlife. Let’s protect all wildlife. Think compassion! Your shoppers will love you for it.

May I remind you that Walmart is showcasing its partnership with the ASPCA and celebrating Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month throughout April, culminating with a special event on May 1 in Miami, Florida. The event will raise awareness and funds for the ASPCA, Miami Humane and Miami Animal Control Services.

Your Walmart customers will be attending these events and many others like them. How is it going to look when they hear about your store’s efforts to once again remove and totally destroy this small colony of cats? I do not think opinion will fall on the side of Walmart, but rather on the side of allowing these six remaining cats to continue to live out their lives at the only home they have ever known…the garden center of Wal-mart Supercenter Store #[redacted].

All these efforts are for nothing if big businesses, such as Walmart, are giving on one hand, but the other hand are committing the unthinkable sin of killing the very animals their stated “goal” is to help save.

If you succeed in killing off this colony, studies show that new cats will inevitably move back into the area. Your company will be stuck killing cats for a lifetime. Is that what you want?

Can you really look yourself or your children in the eye and tell them that you did nothing to stop the killing of animals when you had the chance? I sincerely hope not…

What do you recommend Glennda does to follow up her letter and protect the kitties?

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