The man, who would probably prefer that his name not be used, although the La Crosse Tribune used it anyway, has requested a vote on the matter at Wisconsin Conservation Congress meetings across the state on April 11. If the measure passed, the group would then lobby the legislature on the issue. After news of the proposal got out, the man says he received a variety of threats, including one in which a woman said that "she had heard" that "they will hunt you down and kill you" if the legislature ever passed such a bill. Where she might have heard this, or what heavily armed group of cat lovers was meeting to plan the murder, was not explained.
The man said his proposal was prompted by cats prowling around the bird feeder at his home. (Note to self: consider not installing bird feeder rather than lobbying legislature or risking murder.) He proposes that any cat not wearing a collar, or even a cat not under its owner's direct control, should be considered fair game for any hunter with a small-game license. He described free-roaming cats as an "invasive species."
Police said they were taking the threats against the man seriously. I would like to hear a police spokesman say sometime, "We heard about these threats and, you know, we really aren't taking them seriously at all," but I probably won't.
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