Posted: 4:28 pm EDT October 7, 2010
HANOVER TWP., Pa. -- Lehigh Valley International Airport near Allentown has a growing problem on its hands. It's trying to figure out how to deal with a number of feral felines roaming around the area. "A few cats, you don't notice 'em," said Oliver Long, who lives near the airport. "But it's a lot past a few cats now." Long is familiar with the felines. He took in two cats about a year ago and had them fixed and domesticated. But there are many more. "I don't know how the population got like it is, but it is out of control," said Long. To try to help, Long has spent time and money trapping, neutering, and releasing about 20 cats. "I thought when I did some neutering there in the beginning there, this will probably help the situation, but it evidently has not," said Long. It's not completely clear how many cats are out there. The Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority said what is evident is that they pose a hazard. "They have the potential to attract coyotes, fox, and raptors, which of course could present collision problems for aircraft," said Lawrence Krauter, interim executive director of the airport authority, which found out about the felines while updating its wildlife hazard management plan. "The federal aviation regulations that govern our airport operating certificate require us to take immediate action when we become aware of a wildlife hazard." Krauter said he doesn't want to kill the cats, and he won't, unless he has no other option. "We want to do everything within our means to use nonlethal methods to address this problem," said Krauter, who said he would like to work with qualified organizations to trap the cats and figure out whether they can be domesticated. Copyright 2010 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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