As someone who has helped feed a feral cat colony, I was interested to know that on May 15th, HSSV will host a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) clinic for feral cats. I learned that HSSV partners with Peninsula Fix Our Ferals (PFOF) by providing the medical facility for PFOF to perform the surgeries. This partnership can definitely make a major impact on the feral cat population in our area. In HSSV’s 2010 fiscal year, more than 1,400 homeless cats were spayed/neutered in HSSV’s Medical Center alone!
For people who don’t know what TNR is, TNR reduces homeless cat populations by surgically sterilizing cats so they cannot reproduce. TNR, when accompanied by ongoing homeless cat management, is the most effective, humane method of reducing homeless cat populations. Cats are trapped, taken to shelters or veterinary clinics where they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and have their ears tipped/notched so they can be identified as part of a managed colony. Only healthy cats are placed back in their colony so there is not a health risk to other cats and animals. It is widely known that sterilization helps make cats better community citizens and as a result, colonies gradually diminish in size.
Did you know that TNR actually saves money? I learned that it costs cities up to $250 to pick up, house and euthanize one homeless cat. For the same price, they can spay/neuter five cats! Peninsula Fix Our Ferals will have future spay/neuter clinics for ferals on June 12 and 26 clinics at HSSV.
Want to learn more about TNR? Watch this video.
Good point! Help spay/neuter those feral cats, for the benefit of the cats and of the community.
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