American Bird Conservancy (ABC), one of the nation’s leading bird conservation groups, will testify that an “Ear-Tipped Cats” bill under consideration in Prince George’s County, Maryland will result in increased wildlife mortality at the hands of ever increasing numbers of free-roaming, predatory, ownerless cats.

Ear-tipped cats are feral cats that are supposed to have been vaccinated for diseases such as rabies. The proposed Prince George’s County Bill — CB-41-202 — will be discussed at a public hearing on Tuesday at 10:00am. The bill, introduced by Council Member Mary Lehman, would essentially require that any ear-tipped cats collected by animal control officers be released as soon as possible back to the areas where they were captured.

“It has been well documented that free roaming or feral cats, regardless of whether they are ear-tipped, pose a serious threat to birds and other wildlife,” said Darin Schroder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy at ABC.” Furthermore, an ear-tipped cat is simply not proof that it has been vaccinated; it may only have been spayed or neutered. And even if vaccinated against when it was first trapped and ear-tipped, there is no way of knowing whether it has subsequently received the necessary booster shots to remain inoculated.”