Is it legal for my neighbor to put traps in his backyard to catch and kill stray cats?

HUMANE SOCIETY WEBSITE SAYS: Anti-cruelty laws vary from state to state, and sometimes from city to city or county to county. The legal definitions of abuse, neglect or appropriate conditions may differ. The penalties for animal abuse may also differ.

Fortunately, society has begun to recognize animal abuse as part of the cycle of violence and is calling for stronger penalties against abusers and more powerful enforcement capabilities. As a result, many states have added felony penalties to their anti-cruelty laws.

Some things to do:

* Try to calmly reason with the neighbor and offer him some alternatives.

* Take up a collection in the neighborhood to buy him a Sprinkler Water Repellant http://www.amazon.com/Havahart-5265-Detector-Sprin...

* There's also something called Cat Stop ( ultrasonic sound repellant ) http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CatStop-Ultrasonic-O...

* Give neighbor a basket of cat repellants like citrus peels, cayenne, "shake away"

* Give neighbor plants that cats hate like Rue, "Scaredy Cat Plant", Lavendar, Pennyroyal

* Offer to help him intstall some chickenwire around property to keep cats out

* Explain the "Trap & Release" program to him. Offer to go get traps, pick up cats, take to shelter

* If neighbor is not amenable to trying any of these things - I would try to videotape the neighbor in the act of hurting the cats, then call the police and say your neighbor is "torturing" neighborhood cats and you have evidence to prove it.

Your neighbor has two options, and harming the cats is not one of them. He can legally live trap the cats and take them to a shelter, or call animal control to take them away. What he's doing is animal cruelty and is illegal, regardless if it's on his own property. I would report him.

I'm no official. Hurting an animal is cruelty but it IS his property. Call your local animal control or contact the ASPCA and ask. I agree, this is cruel. He could, at the very least, use a humane trap and take them to the shelter. Some people have no respect for life!

Its not horrible nor is it illegal.

You should be keeping your cats indoors instead of allowing them to roam. I doubt the wounds are being caused by live traps and more then likely are caused by fighting with other cats and wild animals. The vanished cats are ones being killed by cars or wild animals or being live trapped and hauled off.

Your neighbor is well with in their rights to live trap any cat that wonders onto their property and haul it off. Its no ones fault but the cat's owner since they are the ones who allowed the animal to roam in the first place.

No it aint legal

more than that - its actually ILLEGAL

Dont bother asking him.cos obviously he dont give a damn whether its legal or not (he will also then be aware that you are interested and might do something about it). Report him to the rspca (you can do it anonymously), otherwise you are not much better than he is for allowing it to continue when you could do something about it.

No; this is cruelty to animals. Call the SPCA and the police.

This is horrible and is NOT LEGAL whether it is on his property or not. The best thing to do is call your local animal shelter and tell them what is happening. They will be able to advise you from there! Please do something though. It is awfully cruel and you cannot let it go on.

Your right it is horrible and it's nice that you are. Well it's his property but not his animals. I'm sure it's not totally legal it can't be

either go to your local herb shop and get some lemongrass and skirt it in there...the cats wont go near it...or spray heavily some white vinegar in it and near it and they wont go near

jean