DES MOINES, Iowa Dec. 20, 2018 Alley Cat Allies is praising the unanimous vote by Des Moines, Iowa City Council for passing an ordinance allowing for a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for community cats. The decision came after two years of education and information sharing between Alley Cat Allies, the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa, and the city.
“We congratulate Des Moines for joining the growing club of compassionate communities throughout the country that are embracing this mainstream, non-lethal approach for the cats who live among them,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “As the largest city and state capital of Iowa, Des Moines’ future success with TNR will serve as an example for more communities in the Hawkeye State to follow.”
Alley Cat Allies has been working continuously with Des Moines Animal Services and the ARL to advocate for TNR, including providing testimony to the city council about the benefits TNR would bring to cats and the community. The Des Moines City Council, ARL, and Alley Cat Allies will now work to educate the community about TNR before the ordinance becomes effective in March 2019.
“We are excited for this change since it will reduce the growing community cat populations while also reducing shelter intake of cats, and ultimately euthanasia. The result of this vote is quite simply that cat lives will be saved,” said Tom Colvin, Animal Rescue League of Iowa CEO.
Through TNR, cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped (the universal sign that indicates a cat has been through TNR), and returned to their outdoor homes. As sound public policy, TNR saves taxpayer dollars.
“In choosing TNR, Des Moines has embraced the only humane and effective approach available for outdoor cat populations,” Robinson said. “Scientific studies show that it ends the cycle of new kitten litters and stabilizes the population of community cats, which improves their lives and their relationships with people who live near them.”
Thousands of communities conduct grassroots, volunteer-led TNR programs and hundreds have adopted official TNR ordinances and policies, including the Iowa communities of Winterset, Boone County, Cedar Rapids, Beaman, and others. These numbers continue to rise as more communities like Des Moines learn about the consistent success these programs are experiencing throughout the country.
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 a half-million 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 and YouTube.