Are These Cat-Maiming Spikes Allowed in Lubbock?

This is absolutely sickening to me.

You have a right to protect your property, but I think a line should be drawn when it maims or kills a human or animal.

I saw a very disturbing Facebook post and I really wanted to find out more about this. What I've found is, the legality is definitely in question.

First off, the spike strip pictured is not for cat deterrence; they are anti-bird/pigeon strips. According to one website, they "become illegal" if they hurt any child or animal. That would mean that in this case, they are certainly illegal because there's already one wounded cat. That outlines the biggest problem with climbing people and animals and these types of spikes. You probably would already be maimed by the time you found out they were there, as opposed to aerial-based landings from birds that may be able to see them.

There are also several alternative options to cat spikes.

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This appears to be one of those things that may be up to local ordinances, and it may not have been considered in Lubbock. I placed a call to the City of Lubbock Environmental Services, which handed me over to the codes department who said they would send someone out to check this situation out. Let me say, the folks at the city were awesome and very helpful.

Spikes of this nature are really no different than you spreading broken glass or razors on the top of your fence -- which is to say, they're not allowed. This is one of the cruelest and meanest ways I've ever seen someone deal with a stray animal problem.

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