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TRAP
/ NEUTER / RETURN
The
Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats is
seeking volunteers. The quarterly
Round-ups involve trapping the cats Thursday
afternoon or evening. The surgeries are
performed on Friday by Woodford Veterinary
Clinic and the cats are ready to be picked
up and returned to their homes Friday
evening after they've recovered. Ideally the
same person/s that trap a particular feral
colony will be the person/s to release them.
Training will be provided.
If
you are interested in volunteering with the
T-N-R program or for more information please
contact DeeDee Lloyd at 873-8327.
The
Kitty Cat Roundup is Woodford Humane
Society and Woodford Veterinary Clinic’s
quarterly Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program
for feral cats living in Woodford County.
Since the first Kitty Cat Round-up in March
2004, approximately 70 feral cats per
quarter have been sterilized and
vaccinated.
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What
is a Feral Cat?
Feral
cats are cats who have wandered away from
their home, were abandoned by their owners,
or were kittens of an unsterilized pet. They
are often called free-roaming or stray cats.
Feral cats usually live in colonies that
average 12-15 cats where a source of food
and shelter has already been established.
Some people view feral cats as a nuisance
and annoyance, and seek to eliminate the
problem through extermination. However,
Trap-Neuter-Return is more effective and
less costly than euthanasia.
What
is Trap-Neuter-Return?
Trap-Neuter-Return
(TNR) is a program growing in popularity
with groups all over the country in which
feral cats are trapped, using safe and
humane traps. They are then taken to a
veterinarian to be spayed or neutered,
vaccinated, and then returned to their
colony.
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is TNR the Best Option? |
TNR stabilizes and reduces feral cat
populations. When colonies of feral cats are
removed by extermination, more cats inhabit
the vacated area. Vacated areas are soon
filled by other cats who start the breeding
process over again. On the other hand, TNR
programs stabilize and maintain healthy
colonies so that in time, the colony size
shrinks because there is no more breeding.
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Volunteers set
out humane traps near feral colonies several
days before the date of the Round-Up,
allowing the cats to get accustomed to the
traps for an easier capture. Once trapped,
the cats are then transported to the
Woodford Veterinary Clinic for surgery. Upon
arrival at the Clinic, veterinarians,
technicians, and a team of volunteers then
prepare the cats for surgery. |
During
their stay at the Clinic, each cat is spayed
or neutered, receives a three-year rabies
shot, receives antibiotics, is treated for
fleas and intestinal parasites, and has his
or her ears cleaned and treated for ear
mites. The Clinic will tip the left ear to
make future identification as an altered cat
simple. After surgery, volunteers
monitor the cats’ recovery until they are
returned to their homes. This is often the
only time these cats will ever be touched by
human hands. |
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Elizabeth
Simms Gay Spay/Neuter Fund
The
Elizabeth Simms Gay (ESG) Fund offers low
cost spay/neuter vouchers for community
owned dogs and cats. Since 2003, this
program has altered over 1,000 animals that
are no longer contributing to the pet
overpopulation crisis. The ESG Fund also
supports our quarterly Kitty Cat Roundup, a
Trap / Neuter / Return (TNR) program in
partnership with Woodford Veterinary Clinic.
This program alters free-roaming cats and
returns them to their caretaker. Click on
the maps below to learn more about where the
vouchers and TNR program have been used. |
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View
the Voucher Map |
View
the Round Up Map |
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