The Citizen, 2015-09-10, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015.
Vodden suggests policy for feral, outdoor cats
Inoculants and nodules
As part of a special customer appreciation day at Snobelen Farms’ Blyth site at the corner of
County Road 4 and Moncrieff Road, seed experts were brought in to discuss, among other
things, the new regulations surrounding neonicotinoid-coated seeds on Sept. 2. Chris Meyer
of Quality Seeds, left, was one of the speakers brought in and discussed how inoculants and
nodules help soybeans in their development. (Denny Scott photo)
After some debate, North Huron
Council decided to direct staff to
investigate a solution for a cat
problem in Blyth that was brought
forward by Councillor Brock
Vodden.
During council’s August 24
meeting, Vodden reported that he
had received a complaint from a
ratepayer regarding their lawn being
used as a communal washroom by
feral and outdoor cats.
“He can’t use his lawn,” Vodden
said. “He claims there are as many
as a dozen cats using it for their
public toilet. It’s a very difficult
situation.”
Vodden went on to say that the
ratepayer has had lawn furniture
destroyed.
The cats are not all strays, Vodden
said. as some are known to the
ratepayer.
“Council has always fallen back
on cats being different [from other
animals handled by the animal
control bylaw],” he said. “I’m asking
for staff to come back with
information.”
Vodden suggested several methods
to help control the problem
including a one-year educational
blitz targeting cat owners, a
licensing system for cats and
capturing them.
“All cats on the loose should be
impounded and impounded cats not
claimed after a time limit will be put
down,” he suggested. “We should
have a substantial fine to claim the
cats as well.”
Vodden moved that staff look into
the issue and Deputy-Reeve James
Campbell seconded the motion.”
Councillor Bill Knott said he
didn’t have an issue with the idea,
but said it was likely a waste of
time.
“I am a cat owner and wouldn’t
have an issue with this, but my cats
stay inside,” he said. “We have a lot
of feral cats, but we’re never going
to control them. There are barn cats
everywhere. I don’t see a solution
happening. Putting a campaign
together to educate people would be
a waste of money.”
Knott went on to say that he was
surprised that it was cats making the
mess and said he believed that such
a problem would be caused by wild
animals.
Several council members and staff
said they had likely received the
same complaint from the same
ratepayers.
Councillor Trevor Seip said he
understood the issue, but didn’t
know how council could handle it.
“How much money can you throw
at something that might not have a
viable solution?” he asked. “I’m in
support of staff looking at it, but I
think having someone tag [license]
their pet isn’t necessarily the
solution.”
Seip said he would like to see the
ratepayer in question, if he knows
where some of the cats are coming
from, to go deal with the issue
neighbour-to-neighbour.
“I think we need to be ladies and
gentlemen and solve the problem
with what we control,” he said.
“Blanketing the municipality isn’t
right because I don’t think
we’re having the same issue in
Wingham.”
Campbell said he believed that the
issue was a problem for the entire
municipality because he has heard of
people dropping off cats in in the
countryside.
Council dealt with two other pest
problems that evening, having staff
directed to look into a situation
involving beavers and concerns
regarding giant hogweed in the
municipality.
Hi everyone, it’s Dr. Jan Owen,
Acting Medical Officer of Health for
Huron County. It’s September and
the start of school. An ideal time for
all of us to “go back to school” to
learn about bicycle and pedestrian
safety.
For those of you who didn’t catch
my first column in August, we
started discussing what public health
is and how it works in Huron
County.
All Ontario public health units
must meet a number of goals
outlined in a document called the
Ontario Public Health Standards
(OPHS). One of these goals is to
work with community partners on
ways to reduce injuries. Most
injuries are predictable and
preventable. By working together on
things like education, awareness and
physical changes like sidewalks and
cycling lanes, we can help make
roads safer for everyone.
One example is the Coalition for
Huron Injury Prevention (CHIP).
This group includes the Health Unit,
municipal representatives, the
county highways department, local
police and the Ministry of
Transportation. CHIP runs several
initiatives promoting education and
awareness of road safety (including
off-road safety) in Huron County.
In addition to education and
awareness, it’s important to create
safe, healthy environments for
people to walk and cycle in.
Huron County is doing wonderful
work around active transportation.
Active transportation is using your
body to get “from here to there”. The
Health Unit worked with the
Planning and Development depart-
ment to create the Huron County
Active Transportation: A Call to
Action report.
The report lists specific ways the
county, municipalities, businesses,
community groups, and individuals
can support active transportation.
This includes promoting the use of
our many trails, having bike lanes on
our roads and educating drivers,
pedestrians and cyclists on how to
share the road.
So let’s “go back to school!”
Tips for drivers:
• Keep an eye out for kids walking
or cycling to school.
• The law requires you to give at
least one metre of space between
your vehicle and a cyclist on the
road. More is always better.
• Always double check your blind
spots when turning. Watch for
cyclists and pedestrians.
Tips for pedestrians and cyclists:
• Wear retro-reflective materials.
Retro-reflective material bounces
the light from car headlights back to
the driver. This allows drivers to see
you from very far away.
• Helmets save lives – wear one.
It’s the law for kids but adult cyclists
are powerful role models for kids.
Adults, wear your helmets, and they
will too.
You can be the teacher:
• Get a group of kids together and
walk to school instead of getting car
rides.
• Ensure kids know the rules of the
road if walking or cycling to school.
• Encourage your school to have:
bike racks available at the front of
the school and trips that include
active transportation, like walking,
bicycling, cross-country skiing or
snowshoeing.
For more information on active
transportation and injury prevention,
visit www.huronhealth unit.ca.
Next month I will talk about an
important health factor that most
people don’t think of being related
to health. So stay safe out there and
stay tuned!
Continued from page 13
work to those who benefit from our
labours, we can take pleasure in the
labours of our hands.
Again, as we look at the early
chapters of Genesis, the first book of
the Bible, and the book which
shapes our understanding of how the
world is put together, we see that
God has given humanity the task of
caring for creation. We are given the
vocation of tending the world
around us, caring for each of its
parts, so that all of creation, not just
fellow human beings, can
experience God’s blessings. As the
creation narrative indicates, all
work, be it paid or unpaid, is meant
to carry on God’s creative work. Our
labour is meant to make this world
the place that God intended it to be.
In light of my thoughts about
Labour Day, I have come to realize
that, from time to time, I need a
readjustment in how I think. Do I
see my primary calling as being a
blessing to others? Whether I am an
employer or a labourer, I am called
to be a blessing to others. Labour
Day not only closes the summer and
marks the beginning of the school
year. It also reminds us that God
calls us to care for each other, just as
he cares for us.
Owen goes ‘back to school’
Labour for others
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