I would like to submit a response to you newspaper regarding "Cats on Property Line". Having an unwanted animal come onto your property, particularly your front porch, and leaving it's feces behind is one of the most disgusting problems which property owners must face. I, like Mrs. White, live in a rural area and also must deal with the daily task of cleaning up my neighbor's dog's feces from my front walk. My question to the owners of these animals is "Why can't you control your animal?"

Dogs and cats are particularly easy to train and control. Any person, of average intelligence, can train a cat to use a litter box. As far as dogs are concerned, it is a bylaw in many towns that owners clean the feces of their pets from streets and roads. The only reason as to why pet owners do not or will not control their animals is that they are lazy and simple do not think of any one else besides themselves. But, lets face it, the easiest thing for a pet owners to do is put their animal outside and let the rest of the neighborhood deal with it.

For those pet owners who live in the small towns in the Northwest Territories, there is a price which must be paid when animals roam the streets without supervision. The local RCMP simply locate the wandering pet and shoot it. Why do they shoot it? Simply because it is a rural area and wild fox or wolf can spread rabies to a pet who wanders to far. Do you know where your pet goes when you close that door?? I am sure most people would consider shooting a wandering pet a bit extreme. I am a pet owner and I would never want anything bad to happen to my pet. However, if I ignore my responsibilities as a pet owner and allow my pet to wander around the neighborhood leaving it's feces on front porches, then i would have to except the consequences of my actions.

I am familiar with Mrs. White and her neighbors There has been a long stand feud there for some time now. I can understand Mrs. White's predicament. I have visited her house and stepped in enough cat feces to make a full scale model of an adult cat. Mrs. White has the right to protect her property and her children. Why is it cruel to teach cats to stop leaving their feces on her front porch? If the owners of the cats are not willing to control their cats and take responsibility for them, then they will have to live with the consequences of their actions.

To Mrs. White, I would suggest that you go to the local animal shelter and adopt the biggest dog you can find. I would suggest that you teach that animal to hate cats and to leave it's feces on your neighbor's front porch. Maybe then, her neighbors would learn that if they are going to own animals, they should learn to control them.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Marilee Prues

Yellowknife,

Northwest Territories