Recording reveals Granite Shoals committee proposed euthanasia of feral cats

The Hill Country Humane Society announced Friday it had discontinued its partnership with the City of Granite Shoals after recordings from a November city committee meeting captured members advocating for mass euthanasia of feral cats living in the community.

GRANITE SHOALS, Texas (KXAN) — The Hill Country Humane Society announced Friday it had discontinued its partnership with the City of Granite Shoals after recordings from a November city committee meeting captured members advocating for mass euthanasia of feral cats living in the community.

The Hill Country Humane Society shared with KXAN an audio recording of the City of Granite Shoals' Wildlife Advisory Committee meeting from Nov. 6. During the meeting, members discussed ongoing issues with feral cat colonies in the city, with one member saying "the formation of feral cat colonies should be discouraged and trap, neuter and release programs should not be considered a long-term, viable option for the maintenance of feral cat colonies."

Committee members said Nov. 6 there are approximately four feral cat colonies in the city, with roughly 400 cats in total.

During the hour-and-a-half-long discussion Nov. 6, committee members discussed several options for managing the feral cat population; however, the majority of that meeting centered on means of how to trap and kill cats. Committee members also discussed where to dispose the remains.

"We have a location on this property that's called deer heaven," a committee member said at the Nov. 6 meeting. "I'm sure it could be kitty cat heaven too."

Others suggested offering up a city ordinance that would authorize a lethal process for euthanizing feral cats using a ".22 round to the back of the head." Some forms of euthanasia committee members discussed included air rifles, lethal traps, large-scale trapping and sterilization options.

Committee members also expressed concerns about members of the public knowing about euthanasia practices, out of fear it could lead to people disturbing any traps or methods and preventing them from being effective.

"You have to be careful," one member is heard saying on the recording. "The more the public knows, the more they're involved, the uglier it gets."

Granite Shoals Mayor Ron Munos said in a statement to KXAN the wildlife advisory committee meeting recordings are "disturbing," but don't reflect the attitudes and viewpoints of Granite Shoals City Council or the city as a whole.

That committee has not recommended any kind of policy for euthanizing feral cats, much less has the City adopted such a policy. The council sets the policy for the city and we would not endorse or allow inhumane and illegal treatment of feral cats. The police chief has assured me that his officers do not now, and will not, euthanize feral cats. The health and safety of our citizens, and the protection of human and animal safety, are top priorities in Granite Shoals."

Mayor Ron Munos, City of Granite Shoals

In its statement Friday, officials with the Hill Country Humane Society said the proposed euthanasia methods discussed by the committee revealed "blatantly illegal and unethical behavior that cannot be ignored."

"This recording reveals that not only was there an attempt to develop a plan to inhumanely shoot captured cats and dispose of their carcasses, but there was open discussion between members of the committee and the City Manager about the need to conceal such activities from the general public," the statement read in part. "Additionally, one member of the committee suggested 'mass euthanasia' through the use of poisoned food to 'take out 50 cats at once....without the neighbors knowing it.'"

Officials added the nonprofit would continue to accept animals from residents of Granite Shoals, barring any capacity issues. They also highlighted the upcoming launch of "an unprecedented spay/neuter program," adding those services would be made available to Granite Shoals residents.

The Granite Shoals Police Department released a statement following the committee's discussion in a Dec. 16 statement shared online. Officials said GSPD is a "pro-animal police department" and that the department believes in the "ethical and legal treatment of all animals."

"The Granite Shoals Police Department enforces state law and the ordinances of our City, which do not allow any cruelty to animals, including feral cats in our community. This police has not changed....The Granite Shoals Police Department would like to address allegations that we euthanize animals for population control or other means that involve animal cruelty. The Granite Shoals Police Department does not participate in this activity, and this is forbidden without our department. The Granite Shoals Police Department does not trap feral animals to euthanize, poison or kill animals. The use of traps within the Granite Shoals Police Department is for the relocation of the animal only. The Granite Shoals Police Department administration continually educates our officers about the ethical and legal treatment of all animals that we encounter."

John Ortis, Granite Shoals Police Department's Chief of Police