The promotion of an unsanctioned policy is a violation of the public’s trust. Any official policy requires legal notice informing the public that the policy is being proposed and inviting public input, commentary and discussion — a process essential to democratic government. Unless and until the agency actually adopts an official policy, USFWS should not be injecting itself into local affairs to advocate for lethal roundups.

BE POLITE AND PLEASE CONTACT:

Your U.S. Senators:

Carl Levin
Twitter: @SenCarlLevin
Phone: 202-224-6221
Contact: www.levin.senate.gov/contact/
Address: 269 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Home Office: Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building, 477 Michigan Avenue, Suite 1860, Detroit, MI 48226-2576
Phone 313-226-6020

Debbie Stabenow
Twitter: @SenStabenow
Phone: 202-224-4822
Contact: www.stabenow.senate.gov/?p=contact
Address: 133 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Home Office: Southeast Michigan Office, 243 W.Congress Suite 550, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-961-4330

Your U.S. House Representative:
Find your representative by entering your zip code at this site:http://www.house.gov/

Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior:
Twitter: @SecretaryJewell
Phone: 202-208-3100
Email: [email protected]
Address: Sally Jewell, Department of the Interior. 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20240

Dan Ashe, Director, USFWS:
Twitter: @DirectorDanAshe
Phone: 202-208-4717
Email: [email protected]
Address: Dan Ashe, U.5. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1849 C. Street, NW, ROOM 3331 Washington, DC 20240

Tell them that “as an American and a taxpayer, I am concerned about how government agencies craft, promulgate and enforce policies regarding the management of animals. As such, it is alarming to hear that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) is once again covertly promoting unauthorized policies and making recommendations that support the elimination of free-roaming cats.

The promotion of an unsanctioned policy by government agency personnel is a blatant violation of the public’s trust. Unfortunately, this type of political posturing seems to be quite common, as USFWS personnel have repeatedly promoted the killing of cats, while publicly asserting that the agency has no official position on the issue.

To date, no official “feral cat” policy has been promulgated by the agency. The public has not been given adequate legal notice, nor has the public ever been invited to submit any input, commentary or discussion — a process essential to democratic government. Yet, entrusted USFWS personnel continue to abuse their authority by covertly issuing recommendations for lethal roundups and communications containing veiled threats of possible legal action for any humane efforts that may be implemented by local governments.

Unless and until the agency makes an official policy, the agency has no business injecting itself into local affairs to advocate a policy of lethal consequence.

I urge you to demand that the Government Accountability Office audit the USFWS and force agency personnel to stop misrepresenting USFWS’s official position immediately. This abuse of agency discretion not only endangers the lives of domestic cats, it also erodes the public’s trust in the very agencies we expect to serve our interests.”