Wisconsin drops cat shooting proposal

Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Conservation Congress has dropped a controversial proposal that would have let hunters shoot feral cats. The decision comes after a month of heated debate between supporters and animal rights advocates. The proposal would have classified wild, free-roaming cats as an unprotected species. Backers say it would have controlled numbers of the animals, which some consider an invasive species that harm other wildlife. Governor Jim Doyle says the issue made the state a "laughingstock," while animal rights groups called the proposal inhumane. Adam Bauknecht is the founder of the Wisconsin Cat Action Team. He says he's not surprised at the outrage sparked by the proposal. He says people were very much opposed to this as a measure for dealing with the cat overpopulation. He says his group wants to do it in a humane way that's effective, and shooting them is neither. His group advocates neutering or spaying feral cats. The Wisconsin Conservation Congress says it won't recommend the law change to the Natural Resources Board, even though many of its members backed it during recent spring meetings.