Trap-Neuter-Return: Colony & Community Solutions

1. Bryan Kortis, Executive Directorheadcat@neighborhoodcats.org212-662-5761www.neighborhoodcats.org Trap-Neuter-Return: Colony & Community Solutions

2. Today’s topics: Effective advocacy – persuading officials to try TNR Effective implementation of TNR on the colony level - Mass Trapping Effective implementation of TNR on the community level - essential elements of a program

3. What is “TNR”? Feral cat population control method involving: 1. Trapping members of feral colony • Neutering (and rabies vaccination & eartipping) 3. Return of ferals to original site 4. Long-term caretaking/monitoring

4. Effective advocacy requires:(a) presenting TNR as primarily an animal control issue (not a humane one)(b) being able to explain persuasively why TNR works while other methods fail(c) establishing that the community has a feral cat overpopulation problem

5. Popular failed alternatives: • Trap and remove (whether to euthanize, relocate or rescue) • Feeding bans • Do nothing

6. Trap and remove fails because: • Habitat remains unchanged (food, shelter) • Surrounding colonies and/or newly abandoned cats move in (“vacuum effect”) • Untrapped cats in the colony overbreed • Insufficient animal control resources • Caretaker resistance

7. Feeding bans fail because: • Bans are almost always unenforceable • Cats remain in the territory • Cats still reproduce even if deprived of food • Sick cats lead to parasitic infestations & disease

8. Doing nothing fails because: • Habitat continues to support population • Population control becomes “natural”: disease, fighting, traffic, etc. • Nuisance behavior continues unabated

9. TNR is effective because: • Takes habitat into account (not creating vacuums) • Eliminates reproductive capacity, leading to gradual attrition • Gains caretaker cooperation • Attracts volunteers & resources (life affirming) • Provides long-term monitoring system

10. Building the case for a new approach: • Local shelter intake and euthanasia rates (and $$ spent), • Complaint calls • Anecdotal evidence – letters, petitions, speakers at town meetings • Reasonable estimate of numbers • Use the Neighborhood Cats “Sample TNR Policy Presentation” – free download at: www.aspca.org/tnrkit (scroll down page)

11. Mass Trapping: effectively using TNR on the colony level What is it? The TNR of an entire feral cat colony at once. Why use it? • Immediate population control • Rapid reduction of nuisance behavior • More efficient and easier than “one at a time”

12. Mass Trapping: Preparatory Steps • Establish a feeding pattern & count the cats • Secure a holding space if necessary (5-6 days) • Schedule spay/neuter • Secure needed equipment, volunteers & transportation • Arrange emergency vet care (if possible)

13. Mass Trapping: Catching the Cats • Withhold food the entire day before (unless severe weather, then for 24 hrs.) • Leave at least two days for trapping • Prepare all the traps at once • Use more than one kind of bait

14. Catching the Cats (cont’d) • Tape cardboard on the trip plates (right) • Tuck sheets under handles • Place all traps out at once • Cover and remove trapped cat only if upset • Replace trap that worked – “hot spots” • Log by trap #, description and colony

15. Mass Trapping: Caring for Trapped Cats Holding Space • Warm, dry & secure • Line floor & tables with plastic • Keep cats covered Feeding & Cleaning • Use trap dividers aka “isolators (Tru-catch model TD-2 ) • Line floor with newspaper • Do one end, then the other (must have traps with rear doors) • Twice a day

16. Mass Trapping – the Release • 48 hours recovery time recommended • 24 acceptable for males, 72 for females • Lactating females can still nurse post-spay

17. Mass Trapping - Resources • “How to Perform a Mass Trapping” – 32 minute VHS video produced by Neighborhood Cats • “The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook: A Guide to Trap-Neuter-Return for the Feral Cat Caretaker” – 109 page manual Available as a set for $24.95: www.aspca.org/tnrkit • ASPCA’s Imagine Humane: Innovation Bank – complete description of Neighborhood Cats’ mass trapping program Go to www.aspca.org, then do a search for “Imagine Humane Neighborhood Cats”

18. Community TNR Program – Essential Elements Administrative • TNR group or organization, preferably 501(c)(3) • Program Coordinator • Municipal approval or at least “benign indifference” • Funding (can be caretaker-financed to start)

19. Funding model – Long Beach, NY 1. Caretaker pays veterinary costs - $50 per cat 2. Caretaker takes a training workshop and leads the trapping - $25 per cat 3. Caretaker reports colony and helps only re: feeding & info – no cost (if and when funding is available) Priority given to caretaker-financed projects

20. Community TNR Program – Essential Elements Field Work • Low cost spay/neuter • Traps and dividers • Trappers (which may require workshops) • Program Coordinator - authorizes projects, communicates with caretaker - arranges/authorizes vet appointments - arranges trappers, volunteers, holding space, transportation

21. Community TNR Program – Essential Elements Caretaker Incentives • Protection of cats from seizure / return of eartipped cats • Food drives Highly Recommended • Colony registration database (but only if managed by the 501(c)(3) and locations and names are guaranteed confidentiality) • Follow “70% Rule” (preferably “90%”!)

22. Community TNR Program – Resources • “The Nuts & Bolts of a Community-wide TNR Program” – transcribed lecture by Bryan Kortis, Neighborhood Cats • “Sample Training Workshop Outline” Both can be downloaded for no cost at www.aspca.org/tnrkit

23. National Feral Cat Summit • Saturday, October 15, 2005 • Philadelphia, PA (Wyndham Hotel) • Registration = $40 • For complete program and registration info, please go to: www.neighborhoodcats.org