JEFFERSON, IA Just a few days after the city of Jefferson agreed to the urging of Alley Cat Allies and local partners to halt its policy of shooting community cats, Alley Cat Allies will be in Jefferson on Thursday, April 19 for discussions with city leaders and community volunteers about taking the next stepestablishing a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program in the city.
Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies, commended city leaders for their policy change, but also explained the importance of starting TNR right away.
“Killing community cats is cruel and pointless,” Robinson said. “New cats move in to take advantage of the food and shelter that exist in the community. It quickly becomes an endless cycle of death, as it did in Jefferson. The mainstream and compassionate approach is Trap-Neuter-Return. TNR can begin practically overnight, and we look forward to helping Jefferson get started with this lifesaving program.”
Alley Cat Allies Associate Director of Animal Shelter and Animal Control Engagement Alice Burton and Staff Attorney Misty Christo will be in Jefferson throughout the day on Thursday for these initial discussions.
Robinson wrote a letter to Jefferson Mayor Craig Berry and Chief of Police Mark Clouse on April 13, offering to help the city begin TNR immediately. She explained that Alley Cat Allies has already helped hundreds of other communities launch TNR programs, and that it is a tried and tested approach that is supported by animal control agencies, animal shelters and the American public.
Trap-Neuter-Return is the only humane and effective approach to outdoor cat populations. Through TNR, cats are humanely trapped, spayed and neutered, and vaccinated. The tip of one ear is painlessly removed to indicate the cats have been through a TNR program. They are then returned to their outdoor homes.
TNR is sound public policy. It effectively and humanely manages the community cat population, reduces shelter intake and “euthanasia” numbers, and reduces calls to animal control agencies so they can focus on life-saving work such as adoptions, which also saves taxpayer dollars in the process.
Alley Cat Allies will continue to update progress on this story on its website, www.alleycat.org.
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About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the global engine of change for cats. We protect and improve cats’ lives through our innovative, cutting-edge programs. We are seen around the world as a champion for the humane treatment of all cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than 650,000 supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities and organizations save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens worldwide. Its website is www.alleycat.org, and Alley Cat Allies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube.