Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Yawn, Pets-Their impacts

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

 Mark Ottenberg  asked
Gee, I don't see what right there is for anyone to limit / restrict anyone
else's pets.

Cats and dogs have large, negative impacts on native wildlife.  We had 
a wildlife biologist give us some information which was really 
eye-opening.  Cats are major predators by their nature - they can not 
help it, they are evolved to kill things, whether they eat them or not. 
 Suburban studies done in Bellevue, WA ( the closest study to 
Sharingwood - there are lots of other studies to quote from) showed 
that ground nesting birds (Rufous-sided towhees and CA qail were the 
study targets) were completely exterminated in the study area  in three 
years by the 6 cats in a new subdividison.  Small rodents, including 
chipmunks were also part of the study and showed similiar results.  The 
biologist told me that pets have a greater impact on native wildlife 
than the buildings do.

Dogs effect mammal migration paths by scent marking territory.  
Research on weasels, raccoons and another species which I forget showed 
that animals avoided dog scent mark areas, even when they involved 
prime food areas.  The mammals simply abandoned the habitat due to the 
scent of dogs.  This comes about from conditioning.  Once an animal is 
attacked by any dog, it will remain wary of all dogs.  A wild animal 
can not afford to be injured for very long, they have to forage daily, 
especially in winter, in order to survive.

Pets live incredably pampered, well fed and cared for lives. Turned 
loose on the native wildlife, they become super predators. This is 
especially true in winter.   Well rested, well fed, super predators 
which can destroy hundreds of animals a year and often do.   If a dog 
jumps a raccoon at night, and both get equally chewed up,  the dog gets 
a trip to the vets to clean up its wounds , the raccoon, which has to 
forage for its food, often dies from infection.

Research done in England showed that the 40 cats in a small hamlet 
killed over 2,000 birds and mammals a year.  And those were just the 
kills which were counted and the researchers estimated that they were 
only getting 20% of the actual kill counted!!!!

So, at least in rural areas, which have viable native wildlife 
populations, there is very good reason to restrict pets.  That is, if 
you care about wildlife.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist and Forest Steward
Sharingwood Cohousing