ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 27, 2023
A bill to make Maine’s animal trespass law apply to cats swiftly ran up against opposition on Monday. Herding cats, it turns out, may be simpler than getting people to agree on how to keep them from roaming and killing birds. Rep. Vicki Doudera took pains to point out that she likes cats but she said cats are getting a “free and unfettered” pass for the harm they do to bird populations. Doubts emerged during a public hearing held. One lawmaker was a former police officer who was skeptical of enforcement, and another was a farmer who had 10 barn cats and raised questions about feral cats. Shelter officials fear they’d be swamped by cats and a veterinarian feared euthanizing cats if the change was made. But Francesca Gundrum, from Maine Audubon, said the harsh reality is that cats that roam outside — including family pets — represent the No. 1 “direct, human-caused threat to birds” in North America. Those include endangered birds like piping plovers.