One of my local competitors is getting attention for dealing with feral cats, this is a good video for all of us to see, which shows you just how twisted the media can make a story one sided. I wish there was something we could do where we show a evening "Top Story" with the other point of views; i.e. the citizens dealing with the scracthes on their vehicles, the scat in there flowerbeds/gardens, the cat fights at night, the songbird advocates, etc...


http://www.fox45now.com/shared/news/top-stories/stories/wrgt_vid_19794.shtml

One thing i think is mandatory if you are going to take on feral cat work is to not euthanize yourself, ALWAYS transport to a local shelter and keep records of receipts. You may have to charge extra for the drop off, so charge it to the client.

I truly hope this doesnt hurt his business!

Boy, talk about HEAT!

The news portrays it in a slightly hostile way but if the city's inspection goes well this guy could end up with more work than he ever dreamed possible.

Isn't that the truth.

Crazy cat ladies will always be better "news" than someone explaining the facts regarding feral cats plus they are going to be MUCH more vocal. Negative public perception and the possibility of not landing jobs that result in repairs/exclusion due to that perception assures that we pass on all companion animal calls, feral or not. A lot easier money to be made out there than needing to deal with the lunatic fringe of "cat parents".

Anyone else notice some of your biggest exclusion/repair jobs are performed for cat owners? Many cat owners seem to be very neat and tidy, like things in order. Why they choose cats...an animal that craps inside the house...I will never understand. But many of the urban professional we work for seem to have cats just due to their schedule and the $ to spend to stop wildlife.

Gee,

I didn't know that it is immoral to operate a business out of a home. I guess that means that the HSUS lady has no problem with letting anyone into her house to inspect it.

I wish when the reporter asked if they could come to his house, that he would of asked if he was allowed to go to their homes and look around.

You'd have to have a reporter that was an independent contractor...rather than employee. This is becoming more and more likely these days.

I'm not from Ohio, but I firmly believe that there is no such thing as bad advertising. We have probably been on TV more than most of you put together. All were very positive newscasts and did not equal very much new business.

Now, give us a newscast like this one, where the reporters are picking up the audience right away, and I can almost guarantee you that the phone would be ringing for at least three days straight.

The owner of AWM made a mistake by not appearing publicly. I would have had P.J. out there telling the viewing audience not only about feral cats, but everything else we do. Turn a minus into a plus. ( Not every viewer is a cat person )

Great advice...

Wow, interesting stuff!
Reverse-order comments: you're absolutlely right, Wink. If Mr. Banion is comfortable on camera he should interview.
Eric, the reporter asked to tour his place of business; that's a legitimate request. Although Mr. Banion's privacy is a concern - and for very good reason - the news reporter's interest in checking out his legal headquaters is fair, I think. (reminds me of the time I had some problems with a contractor who was jerking us around. When he blew thru about three start dates for the work he was to do for us...and wouldn't take or return calls, I went to his place of business, which happened to be his home. He told me "Don't come to my house again". My response was, "It's your listed business address, moron! If you weren't playing games with me, it wouldn't be necessary!")
It seems to me that Banion handled the situation about right (must've read Steven's book!); he seemed to be fairly professional about it. Is he a NWCOA member? Hope this makes it over to nwcoa.info - there's a lot of good material for professional discussion.

Dave,

I disagree with you. Just because a location is classified as a place of business, it does not mean it is open for touring. It is private property that the owner has every right to control access to as they see fit.

The reporter could have shown up at Chris's door and interviewed him, but it was done by phone instead of them showing a doorway with Chris rejecting entry when asked like you see on those "Investigative" reports every news station does. If they were able to show that, I'm sure they would have as it would of "benefited" the story.

The county officials have the duty to verify no zoning laws are being broken or that if a variance was given, it is being adhered to but the public at large does not.

Cat work I learned years ago is one you should pass on. Let the local SPCA or some other organization deal them. The press can be quite negative in this area. I see no good coming from it for anyone choosing to do this work.I have seen first hand what has happened to a couple of local new operators hungry for work get burnt doing such work. Just not worth it. We do wildlife work not feral domestic work.

Agree 100%. Tried a couple cat jobs 20 years ago. Had traps stolen, traps thrown over a bridge rail onto boulders (destroyed 5 cages), and of course animals released every day. Not worth dealing with the flea-ridden hissbags. And the cats are a pain, too.

It is very interesting that the contract this individual got was previously held by the County Animal Control. They then refused to accept animals that he submitted to them.

They were probably the "source" trying to get him shut down so they could resume their contract at over twice what he was charging!!!!! And yes, they were euthanizing cats under the previous contract as well.

In Ohio humane agencies are most often separate from the county animal control agency, but they rarely will accept cats. Ever since most of them have declared themselves no-kill shelters.

Maybe each person who was complaining about the cats being euthanized can step up and accept 10 cats for adoption and sign an agreement that the cats will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and restricted to indoors only. I know I certainly love dogs and have taken in any stray that has come by, but there are only so many dogs a guy can have just like there are only so many cats you can have. After that other options have to be weighed.

When the inspection is completed, you can bet if it goes well, the media will not do an appropriate follow up.

Well there is no doubt that if I lived in Bob and Ron's area, cat work would be out of the question. We, on the other hand, have been doing more each year.

People in our area have been made aware that the feral cat is the worst predator in the state. I don't recall losing cages on cat jobs but I have lost a few on raccoon jobs. ( Some people will be flea-ridden hissbags, no matter what you're trapping )

More good stuff!
Eric, I heartedly agree that the businessman has no obligation whatsoever to allow any non-regulatory personnel into his private business. Was just making the point that, as a journalist, the reporter made a legitimate request for the purpose of gathering info. I'd probably turn 'em down in a heartbeat. There's nothing pretty or even newsworthy about euthanasia, when properly done. Chris had nothing to gain by allowing reporters and cameras access to his site.
Depending on the situation and Chris' handling thereof, he may or may not benefit from media coverage...but with a charged situation like this, it would really have to be well-handled.
The ferocity of the flea-ridden hissbags should not be discounted; that alone is enough to give me nightmares.

X3

Setting up a cat job in the morning. I got a misdemeanor cruelty on my record thanks to cats and that one cost me big but I was not in the wrong then ("Mr McLeod, state law does not apply in Spalding county" according to the cat lady judge) and I will not back down from performing a legal service.

warrior, "I have a misdemeanor cruelty to cats, on my record" would make a great bumper sticker.

A legal and much needed service.

I don't blame anyone for backing away from feral cat jobs but I'm glad that there are folks who will do them.

Follow the law, do them right and charge appropriately.