Date
September 15, 2000
Contact
Bill Dyer
SoCal IDA
310-301-7730
In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto
Mill Valley
CA 94941
IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
Actors and Others for Animals is a Southern California organization largely dedicated to the reduction of pet overpopulation.
200 Feral Cats Saved, Boeing Agrees to Cooperate with Animal Advocates
Long Beach, Calif....A press conference was held in front of the Boeing Company today to announce the company’s decision to accept In Defense of Animals’ and Actors and Others for Animals’ offer to trap, alter and then return the 100-200 feral cats on the Boeing Company property, west of Lakewood Blvd.
This victory is a "turn around" from Boeing’s September 1st decision to trap the cats and remove them to the Long Beach Animal Shelter, where they would have been killed after 72 hours. The animal rights groups’ alternative proposal to alter and return the feral cats was originally rejected by Boeing officials, but media coverage of the controversy created an overwhelming public outcry.
Letters of concern from both the general public and from Boeing employees have flooded the mailroom of the Long Beach Division of Boeing and have caused Boeing to change its position on the issue. Working with Joyce Pieper of Actors and Others for Animals and Bill Dyer of In Defense of Animals, Boeing and the animal advocates have agreed on a cooperative program.
As well as the trapping, altering, marking, and returning of the feral cats to company premises, Boeing promises to work with animal rights groups and interested employees to establish a feeding program for the cats. Additionally, Boeing promises to spend roughly one year, with the help of animal advocates, to locate permanent alternate sanctuary sites for the cats before the company begins its planned demolition and redevelopment of the Boeing building on the west side of Lakewood Blvd.
The details of the cooperative program to save the 100-200 feral cats were agreed upon just hours before a scheduled mid-day protest by In Defense of Animals and Actors and Others for Animals at the Long Beach Boeing property. Boeing, Actors and Others for Animals, and In Defense of Animals wish to thank Boeing employees and the greater public for their many expressions of support in favor of saving the feral cats.
Please direct your thanks:
Mr. James R. Phillips
Boeing Long Beach Division
MC: E12-81
3855 Lakewood BLVD.
Long Beach, CA 90846
PHONE: 562-593-5400
FAX: 562-982-8220
james.r.phillips2@boeing.com