Letters for March 6, 2023

Feral cats

The story from the Skagit Valley Herald on the trap-neuter-return/release program to reduce feral cat colonies in Anacortes could be misleading to cat lovers (“Trap-neuter-return method proves useful in reducing feral cat population in state,” Feb. 26).

If true that the Dakota Creek Shipyards feral cat colony was completely eliminated with this effort, it is a very rare exception and definitely not the rule nationwide. TNR has long been discounted as a successful way to deal with feral cat colonies by veterinarians, environmentalists and animal rights activists because it does not function within a closed system, intact cats continue to be abandoned and are drawn to sites where food is provided, perpetuating the colonies that are threats to public health and wildlife.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists cats among the world’s worst invasive species globally. Cats are the number one cause of bird deaths, killing 2.4 billion birds annually in the U.S. and contributing to the extinction of 33 species. Learn more about this issue from the American Bird Conservancy’s “Cats Indoors” program at bit.ly/3y3Hf5h.

Madonna Luers

Spokane

Landlord/tenant issues

As usual when solving problems when the government gets involved – federal, state and local – the tendency is to go overboard trying to control, not solve the problems.

I heard many tenant stories about bad landlords but not a lot from landlords about bad tenants. We all know there are both out there. In order to “fix” things, the City Council wants to strap the landlords with more fees, licensing requirements and other costs that logic would tell you will just be passed along to the tenants with higher rents.

One tenant advocate said that landlords are here to serve tenants and that housing is a human right. I have to think about that one. A gentleman who stated that he is a member of “The Party for Socialism and Liberation” kept stating that tenants are due protections from rent increases and other socialist mindset comments. One tenant advocate said that landlords are here to serve tenants. Hmmm? Also, two people proudly stated that 50% of the population of Spokane are tenants.

As a landlord, the three years of COVID laws prevented me from evicting bad tenants as well as raising rents. Now the city wants to restrict landlords’ ability to properly screen potential tenants and guessing rent control will be coming soon.

A question I have for the tenants who were vehemently opposed to landlords as a whole to a point of rudely turning their backs on landlord speakers, who pays for your children’s education? It’s these same landlords.

Rick Richard

Spokane