Coexisting with Feral Cat Populations via Trap-Neuter-Return

by Stephanie Ernst · 2009-07-28 22:07:00 UTC
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There's a nice piece on trap-neuter-return efforts in today's Chicago Tribune:

They've been living more or less peacefully around us for thousands of years, and their human friends believe far too many of the estimated 82 million stray cats are dying, many in shelters where they were taken by the well-meaning. So an underground pool of feral friends has come up with an offbeat practice it says is less expensive, more humane and more effective in managing the cats.

It's called trap, neuter and return, and increasing numbers of animal-control groups are becoming converts.

I find the reference to TNR as "offbeat" a bit curious, but I don't have any serious complaints about the article. And I really love the following remark from one advocate who was interviewed (emphasis mine): 

"There's no mystical thing working here," said Tammy McAuley, president of Lombard-based Feral Fixers. "I care about cats, and I don't want to see them euthanized. They have every right to have a full life, and if they choose to be wild and we can accommodate them, then we should."

The letter carrier and former animal shelter volunteer said her 2-year-old group has coordinated the trap, neuter and return of 1,000 stray and feral cats.

Continue reading the article here.

And if you're interested in getting involved with (or starting) a TNR effort in your own community, now would be a good time to refer back to Mary Martin's guests posts here on that very topic:

  1. Feral Cats, TNR, and the Beginnings of Project Treadstone 

  2. How to Start a Trap-Neuter-Return Project for Feral Cats

  3. Tricky Territory in Helping Feral Cats

 

Stephanie Ernst wrote the original Animal Rights blog at Change.org until December 2009. She can now be found at Animal Rights & AntiOppression.
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