A legal battle is underway over the fate of stray cats in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. When the U.S. National Park Service decided to capture the famous stray cats in San Juan, a nonprofit organization filed a lawsuit.
According to the Associated Press on the 29th (local time), the lawsuit was filed by Alley Cat Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Maryland. This came about four months after the National Park Service announced plans to remove about 200 cats believed to be living near the beach fortress, a tourist attraction in San Juan, within six months. At that time, the agency stated it would contract with an animal welfare organization to carry out the plan.
Alley Cat Alliance expressed concerns that six months is insufficient time to remove the stray cats and that the process could lead to the deaths of many cats. Accordingly, they requested an additional environmental report from the agency. They also argued that the measure should be reviewed to determine whether it violates laws, including the Environmental Protection Act.
Stray cats have long been considered a symbol of Old Town San Juan, Puerto Rico. The AP reported, "For tourists and locals alike, the cats have been a source of enjoyment as well as a nuisance for a long time," adding, "In 2022, the National Park Service noted the smell of urine and feces in the area and announced that the population had grown too large."
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