Trap Neuter Return Works

The skeptics, the cat haters, the bird conservationists etc. decry trap neuter, return (TNR) as a failed method to manage the feral cat problem. Are they are problem? I am not sure.

Anyway, the fact is that TNR is the only humane and sensible way of managing and limiting the feral cat population and it is effective when carried sufficiently inclusively.

There is a nice story in an online newspaper that confirms this. It concerns the the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. Fairfax county is in the state of Virginia, USA (thanks for that Dorothy!).

Since they introduced TNR into the municipality in 2008, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter has seen "a significant decrease" in the number of cats dealt with by their foster care programme.

In 2011 they handled less than half the number of feral kittens than they did in 2010. And over the period 2008 to 2011 there has been a 41% drop in "bottle-fed kittens" entering the shelter.

1,800 feral cats have been TNRed since 2008 by a volunteer force of 300. It is wonderful that people of the county get involved and make this program work. I think it has to be a community event to make it work. Lone people working in isolation are fantastic and I admire then tremendously but it needs something more inclusive as I mentioned to make TNR work effectively.

By "inclusive" I mean to TNR all the cats in area not isolated pockets. That appears to prevent migration of cats from one area to another.

Please click for the original story. This is where it is:


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