Trap, Neuter, Release, TNR. It sounds simple. In theory, it is. Stray cats are caught, taken to a participating veterinarian where they get shots, the required spay or neuter, then released back to a place where they can live out their lives with care from dedicated volunteers.

These programs are actually in place all over the world and are beacons for those interested in this enlightened approach. It speaks of choosing life over death, hope over despair.

It is important to note too, that while the world “feral” is used for these cats, often they are just pathetic strays. Coming from situations where the mama has babies, then the babies have babies, there is a kitten explosion several times a year. Abandoned or neglected by indifferent owners, they do the best they can. Contrary to some beliefs, they do not revert back to a wild state, surviving off the land. Feral cats are domestic cats.

Becky Robinson, president and co-founder of Alley Cat Allies, does not like the world “wild” when talking of feral cats. “Feral cats might not let anyone get close to them, but they can’t be considered wild because they have been co-existing with humans for thousands of years,” she states.

It is not disease, cars or harsh weather that feral cats have to fear most. It is human beings. A shelter is the last place a feral cat wants to go. More than 70 percent of ALL cats entering shelters in the United States are killed. Many believe the word “euthanized” should be reserved for humanely putting suffering animals out of their misery. But feral cats, particularly those in a managed colony, are not suffering. They are killed for no other reason than being what they are.

The number of animals put to sleep in the United States every year is staggering. As terrible as the numbers are in Orangeburg County, we are not alone and County Animal Control is doing its job. They are doing the job as it is currently defined. It would seem, to break the stalemate and work toward a decline in kill rates, we should work toward keeping feral cats from going to shelters in the first place. And how do we do that? TNR – Trap, Neuter, Release.

There are statistics that show TNR programs actually work better than trapping and killing because as soon as one colony is removed, another will move in, and the cycle continues.

In 2004, NMHP, No More Homeless Pets, in Utah, partnered with a shelter for a TNR program.

The shelter gives NMPH the locations where complaints have come in about feral cats. The NMPH mediates with angry neighbors, providing solutions and education. They trap and neuter and monitor the program. It is proving to be a success. By 2007, the shelter’s cat intake decreased 35 percent and cat euthanasia decreased by 40 percent. There has been no increase in the shelter’s calls for service and no increase in cat bites. Neighbors’ complaints declined also.

And there is something new on the horizon that could have a dramatic impact on the numbers of feral and stray cats. Gonazon. This is a silicone implant administered by injection that has been shown to suppress fertility for up to three years in cats. It has already been approved for use in Europe, and there is hope of bringing it to the United States for use in feral cats.

NMHP did some research and found that the West Valley City Shelter they partnered with was saving between $30,000 and $60,000 a year by teaming up on the TNR program. Today, the city provides $20,000 a year toward the project.

The TNR program of Orange County Animal Services in Florida has been funded by the county since 1995; by 2001, the program had already saved the county more than $650,000. Because statistics and accountability are so important in showing officials that TNR programs do work, volunteers can work with the in-place databases around the country, and we can begin to create our own.

The small town of Randolph, Iowa, hit the news recently when it declared a bounty on stray cats. Best Friends, the premiere animal sanctuary in Utah that redefines and continually sets precedents for animal welfare, stepped in to help. Believing that “killing is never the answer,” they worked with the mayor and local rescue groups. This little town is now a model of how TNR can work … And they’re saving money.

The problems we encounter about animals are also about people. We need lots of HEAT… Help, Educate, Advise, Train. (I just made that up). But think about it … if we turn up the “HEAT,” we can begin to make a difference. This is a community problem and it really is about so much more than “cats and dogs.” It is about responsibility, compassion, setting examples for those around us. Our children learn more by example than by any lecturing we may impart. Let’s teach them that there are often new solutions to old problems, there is not just one way to do something, and that doing what is easy is not necessarily doing what is right.

Currently, Orangeburg County has one animal welfare organization … the SPCA. If you are not a member, please join us. If you do not like the way things are, help us change things. We are a small group of dedicated volunteers who do everything we can, under daunting circumstances, to save every life we can. We are the ones who look into the faces of an old dog, a frightened kitten, an abused and neglected animal, and have to say… “We just don’t have the room.” “No one has come in today to adopt.” “We don’t have enough foster parents.” “We need more money to expand and initiate programs.” “We really are trying, but we cannot save you today.”

Do you have some time to spare? Can you make a donation? Do you have a skill to share, a fundraising idea? Do you have room in your heart and in your home for another pet, or would you be able to foster an animal? If you foster, you care for an animal until we have room at the shelter or we find them a home. The more room we have, the more we can save.

The letters to the editor keep coming in. It is encouraging to see the interest and lively exchange this emotional subject creates. Let’s keep the dialogue open, along with our minds and hearts.

We appreciate your concern and we need your help. The feral cat issue is just one of many we are working on. While we may not be able to change the world, we can change their world, and we’d like you to join us!

— Cheryl Nugent, Vice President Maude Schiffley SPCA, Orangeburg

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