The edition with the letter that apparently 'started it all' is not online any longer. And before I begin, here is the Privacy Policy but I DID NOT read it (just used a different email account).

Ok, I have arranged the letters in the order that they appeared; I have also given links, but I'm not sure that they will work since you have to be logged-in

Feral cats need to be picked up and euthanized

I am incensed about the letter to the editor in the Jan. 31, 2002 issue of the Round Up. Some months ago, I wrote in about the feral cat population on campus. At that time, many were feeding these unwanted and starving cats that had been abandoned here. Mrs. Tillett, if you are so concerned about these feral animals, then get your traps, come down here, trap and euthanize them. Euthanasia is a far more humane thing to do than starving them to death.

No one should be forced to stand by and watch animals starve to death and be told to do nothing. And anyone who truly loves animals could never advocate starvation as a means of animal control. That is cruel and ignorant. I encourage everyone to continue to feed these animals until whoever is responsible for removing them does their job. These animals will continue to breed whether they are fed or not. Feeding is not the problem here and your steadfast refusal to see the real problem doesn't surprise me.

Students bring these animals here and abandon them here. They KNOW it is not allowed. Inspections of dorms and assessment of fines (i.e., enforcement of current rules governing dorms), and confiscation of animals before they are dumped and forced to become feral, now there's a novel solution. Graduation would not be allowed until the fines are paid . . . no excuses . . . no forgiveness. And of course, we can't expect those who are in charge of these dorms to actually do their jobs or the perks they get to manage the dorms, now could we?

This is not a bird sanctuary (they are just another part of the food chain), but this is the only home these feral cats have. They didn't ask to be brought here and abandoned. It's easy to blame the animal for his own condition instead of focusing on the real culprits. Do your job and round up these cats for euthanasia, do something about keeping cats and other pets out of the dorms, or shut up about the birds.

(name)
NMSU LIBRARY
Link

This same person also wrote this letter:
Lack of enforcement real root of feral cat problem

BlankWell, this just does not suprise me. Yet another proposed column that does not address the real issue. Everybody writes and dances all around the real issue without giving it a mention. The real problem is not spay/neuter ... or feeding the animals ... or vaccinations ... or starving the cats to death in order to control breeding ... or rounding them up and euthanizing them. There are excellent points being made, but they still do not address the real problem. That problem being lack of enforcement of the rules governing animals in the dorms.
You can do all the fancy stuff you want to out in the world regarding feral populations. But there is not here ... and here is what we are concerned with. There will always be more potentially feral cats on this campus to take the place of those not breeding. Simply telling someone to get rid of an animal found in the dorm only dooms that cat to being a resident of a feral colony. When telling someone to get an animal out of the dorm, the violator should be required to present a receipt for that animal from animal control or the animal shelter or a person who will be responsible for that animal off campus to ensure that the animal was simply not dumped outside. That paperwork should be followed up with a phone call by the person who told them to get rid of it to the people/institution who accepted the animal. In addition, to enforce the rules, there should be consequences for violations (i.e., fines, just like vehicle laws). There are no consequences here.
Students are not here to have bonding experiences with pets that they didn't have at home. They are here to get an education. Pets have no place in the dorms. If students absolutely have to have an animal in their life, then they should either move back home or move off campus. But I can tell you this. There are very few places off campus that will allow pets. There are rules everywhere. And those rules are put in place for the benefit of everyone in order to maintain an orderly society. If you don't like the rules, either work to change them or obey them as they are, but give violations of the rules measurable consequences.

(name)
NMSU LIBRARY
Link

Finally,
Feral cat problem has easy solution

New Mexico State University can eliminate its feral cat problem — and turn a profit at the same time. How, you ask? After trapping these abandoned pets, they can be sold to animal research facilities. Or, in the spirit of saving money otherwise used in the purchase of animals for research, NMSU can donate the cats to the Department of Agriculture. If the Ag Department can give us a cow with a "window" in it, why can't they give us a cat with a window, too? And think of the other advantages: the northeast side of Breland Hall won't smell like a giant litter box; professors who spend money on cat food will now have money for human charities; and students residing at Vista Del Monte won't feel as guilty abandoning animals that they did not think much about when adopting because they'll be helping the university. Moreover, the absence of cats on campus will encourage squirrels to make NMSU their home and who doesn't like squirrels?

(name)
GRADUATE
RHETORIC
Link

If you've stuck with it this far, I'll note that I changed my original post. The omitted names are now numbered so you know which letter the blank referred to--please note not all blanks are numbered b/c not all of the letters were online.