LET’S MAKE SOME CHANGES AROUND HERE
If you’re convinced that wildlife trapping in the City of Pittsburgh is vastly over-used, cruel and ineffective. If you want your tax dollars spent on effective strategies (education, vaccination programs, domestic animal pick-up and rescue, TNR). If you want Animal Control to be a positive force for the City, serving all residents:
We have found that many residents are relieved to be offered a way to deal with wildlife that doesn’t involve killing. Others however are very resistant to having their free service removed. That’s all the more reason why it’s time for the silent majority to speak up!
If you’re convinced that wildlife trapping in the City of Pittsburgh is vastly over-used, cruel and ineffective. If you want your tax dollars spent on effective strategies (education, vaccination programs, domestic animal pick-up and rescue, TNR). If you want Animal Control to be a positive force for the City, serving all residents:
- Contact your city council rep (see below) and ask them to support a change in wildlife policy to restrict trapping to emergency situations only.
- Spread the word! Talk to your friends, family and neighbors about this campaign.
- Keep updated. Like our Facebook page. Check this website for updates.
- Request a humane harassment training for your community group or urban farm network. (Pending)
We have found that many residents are relieved to be offered a way to deal with wildlife that doesn’t involve killing. Others however are very resistant to having their free service removed. That’s all the more reason why it’s time for the silent majority to speak up!
Contact Your Council Representative
To view the map and to find your district, click here.
Please contact your city council representative (listed below) and tell him or her that you oppose the use of your tax dollars to fund a City wildlife trapping service.
Please contact your city council representative (listed below) and tell him or her that you oppose the use of your tax dollars to fund a City wildlife trapping service.
Try to personalize your email by telling them about your own appreciation of city wildlife:
- Pittsburgh is a city of parks, rivers and woods. Wildlife inevitably share our neighborhoods with us, and no amount of trapping will change that.
- Trapping and removing wildlife creates a constant turnover of animals, which actually increases the risk of disease transmission. It also works against Allegheny County’s rabies vaccination program by removing vaccinated animals.
- The vast majority of residents do not use this service (less than 1% of the population actually do, and some of those do so repeatedly).
- Animal Control would best serve all residents by providing hands-on advice on how to deal with common issues that residents encounter with wildlife, only providing traps in true emergencies that cannot be handled any other way.
- The City must enforce current regulations regarding trash management, rather than punishing the wildlife who are attracted into neighborhoods by open garbage cans, for example.
- If Animal Control didn’t spend 75% of its time picking up wildlife, it could serve the population more effectively in many other ways (coordinating feral cat TNR programs, education on dog fighting, etc.)
- The City could resolve some reoccurring problems over the long-term by extending the Neighborhood Safety program to cover house repairs for residents on low incomes when wildlife are accessing a residence.
Or just copy and paste the following:
I’m writing as a resident of your district to express my opposition to the city’s current wildlife policy, which hands out traps to any resident who requests one, without any justification of genuine risk, leading to the pointless killing of thousands of animals every year. I do not want my tax dollars used for such an inefficient system and urge you to support efforts to develop an intelligent, efficient wildlife policy that reflects the City’s otherwise eco-friendly approach.
Representatives by district
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District 1
Darlene M. Harris [email protected] 412-255-2135 To send Darlene Harris a message, click here. |
District 2
Theresa Kail-Smith [email protected] 412-255-8963 To send Theresa Kail-Smith a message, click here. |
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District 3
Bruce A. Kraus, Councilman President [email protected] 412-255-2130 To send Bruce Kraus a message, click here. |
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District 7
Deborah L. Gross [email protected] 412-255-2140 To send Deborah Gross a message, click here. |
District 9
Rev. Ricky V. Burgess
[email protected]
412-255-2137
To send Ricky Burgess a message, click here.
Rev. Ricky V. Burgess
[email protected]
412-255-2137
To send Ricky Burgess a message, click here.