[FEL-L] FCF - Many cats, wants amendments

[BigCatSimba at aol.com]

FCF - Many cats, wants amendments
 
 
Dear Pahrump Planning Commissioners, 

The Feline Conservation Federation supports amending the recent zoning 
proposal requiring two acres of land for the keeping of any species of wild feline 
or domestic/exotic hybrid felines to just the seven large feline species: lion, 
tiger, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, snow leopard and cougar. 

Our organization has hundreds of members throughout the country and over five 
decades of experience in captive conservation of the three dozen species of 
wild feline. 

It is important for you to know that there are many species of feline that 
are smaller than the average dog, and a few that are smaller than the average 
house cat. 

These captive-born felines are maintained indoors or in an outdoor enclosure. 
This is for their security. 

These felines have a purchase price ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Owners 
are especially motivated to protect their investment and keep their felines 
confined and safe from theft or harm. They are not free-roaming animals and should 
not be a public zoning issue. 

Asian leopard cats, sand cats and geoffroy's cats are feline species kept by 
exotic feline enthusiasts that are about half the size of an American domestic 
short-hair cat. 

Bobcats and lynx are native American species about the size of a cocker 
spaniel. 

Servals and caracals are medium-sized African cats weighing 25 to 30 pounds. 
The ancient Egyptians originally kept these species. These two feline species 
are affectionate and intelligent relatives of the domestic cat. 

The serval especially is similar to the familiar cat, in that it fills the 
same eco-niche in the wild, preying upon small rodents, birds and frogs. Servals 
are not known for hunting mammals. 

Captive cats are necessary for conservation for the species. They are also 
important educational ambassadors acting as links between the natural world and 
our man-made society. 

I urge the zoning commission to remove the small cats as well as the hybrid 
species from this zoning limitation that requires two acres of land to possess 
a feline companion. Most likely these felines live indoors and should not be a 
part of a zoning ordinance, and when and outdoor enclosure is built, it 
should pass caging standards that provide for the mental and physical health of the 
feline and maintain aesthetic beauty standards for the neighborhood. 

The Feline Conservation Federation is available to answer any questions you 
may have about the nature of small felines and their needs in captivity. 

Thank you for considering these recommendations to amend your recent zoning 
decision and allow the small and hybrid domestic/exotic feline species to be 
kept indoors nor out following building codes and safe caging standards. 

LYNN CULVER 

President, Feline Conservation Federation 

_http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2007/Nov-16-Fri-2007/opinion/17951344.html_
 
(http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2007/Nov-16-Fri-2007/opinion/17951344.html) 



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.breuckman.com/pipermail/felines-l/attachments/20071117/c97f64c0/attachment.html