Writer says pet limit laws are not the best solution

As a resident of Freehold Township, I am very concerned after reading your article “Limit on Cats, Dogs Proposed in Freehold” (News Transcript, Sept. 24). Although the proposed ban is in Freehold Borough, its main proponent, health officer Margaret Jahn, is also Freehold Township’s health officer. While I agree with Ms. Jahn that the goal is to promote responsible pet ownership, a pet limit law is not the way to accomplish it.

Pet limit laws do not take into account the size of a home, its yard or how people care for their pets. There are responsible and irresponsible pet owners, and all complaints should be treated on an individual, case-bycase basis.

Someone with one cat might not spay or neuter the cat and allow him to breed, which contributes to the pet overpopulation problem. Someone with one dog might not pick up after the dog or dispose of his waste properly, causing health issues and angering neighbors.

On the other hand, you can have someone with multiple pets who spays and neuters them, vaccinates them and respects leash laws.

Ms. Jahn stated that people feeding stray cats contribute to the problem. Rather than punishing people for trying to help animals, towns should assist them in spaying and neutering by providing low-cost options. Towns should work with caretakers of cat colonies to implement Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.

Ignoring free-roaming cats or rounding them up and killing them do nothing to solve the problem. Animal rescuers are spending their own money and countless hours to ensure that their colonies are spayed and neutered, vaccinated and fed. All attempts are made to find homes for kittens and friendly adult cats. A pet limit law is useless in these situations and causes more harm then good.

We all need to work together to promote responsible pet ownership. That includes making sure your pets are spayed/neutered as well as adopting pets from shelters and rescue groups and not purchasing them from pet stores that support puppy mills. We need to support humane education programs in schools that teach children to respect animals. There is no one simple solution to the pet overpopulation problem — especially not pet limit laws.
Shari Wexler
Freehold Township