Written by Ria Brown Public Relations & Information Manager Lee County Domestic Animal Services
Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR, is a method by which many communities deal with their feral and community cat problems. Simply, the process involves the trapping by caretakers of un-owned cats that are subsequently sterilized and returned to the community from which they came. Caretakers then continue to feed the cats but they no longer reproduce. The colony is eventually eliminated through attrition. Sterilization also reduces their tendency to exhibit nuisance behaviors.
Advocates consider TNR to be the most humane method to deal with the problem as is helps reduce euthanasia of cats in local shelters. With shelters strained to adopt out the overflow of healthy, socialized cats, it provides an alternative to euthanasia for cats that are not socialized and therefore, not adoptable.
Those opposed to TNR cite the impact that cats have on wildlife, especially endangered species, the spread of infectious diseases to humans and whether it is humane for the cats to live this way. Lee County Domestic Animal Services does not advocate returning feral cats to areas in preserves or wildlife sanctuaries. The agency does not sterilize unhealthy cats or release cats to areas where it is not safe for them to live.
Animal Services began operating a TNR program in 2009. The program is free to the public but is restricted for un-owned, feral and community cats. The cats are sterilized, vaccinated for rabies, implanted with a microchip, left ear-tipped (the universal sign for feral or community cats that have been spayed or neutered) and returned to their colony. For more information or to schedule an appointment email spay@leegov.com or call 239-533-9234.
The biggest challenge for the county’s program continues to be community involvement. With the feral cat population estimated in excess of 100,000, the problem is too large for Animal Services alone. The county encourages various municipalities to assist in sterilizing the cats in their area. Currently, Bonita Springs is the only city to set aside funds for local veterinarians to sterilize cats.
In the future, the county plans to attack the problem with a targeted approach by recruiting community caretakers to trap all of the cats in one colony or location. Sterilizing a random few from various areas has proven ineffective as the birth rates exceed the sterilization rates in those colonies. Again, the key to this grassroots approach will require community involvement.
Experts recommend trapping cats when they are first encountered and before they begin to reproduce. Feeding without sterilization is the surest way to escalate the problem. Many residents have found that by doing so they have inadvertently created a neighborhood nuisance.
So, what can one do as a concerned resident or someone who wishes to avert a cat crisis in their neighborhood? Begin by educating yourself on how to effectively participate in TNR. Lee County offers TNR and Cat Colony Care Workshops. The workshops cover the basics of trapping, post surgery care, colony care and more. Upcoming workshops are scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 21 and Dec. 19 at Animal Services. For more information and to register online go to www.LeeLostPets.com.