Two local organizations are teaming up in an attempt to tackle the feral cat problem in Warren County.
Helping Animals of Warren County and We Care Pray Love Fight Pet Rescue are looking to initiate a program called Trap-Neuter-Release to stop the cats from reproducing.
“We’ve been talking about how there are a lot of cats around some of Warren County’s dumpsters,” said Jan Saylors, a member of HAWC. “We want to see what we can do about the feral cat population.”
Trap-Neuter-Release is the humane approach to addressing a community’s cat population. It stops the breeding cycle of cats and, in doing so, will reduce the cat population.
Cats will be humanely trapped, brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, and then, returned to their outdoor home.
Members from both organizations attended Monday’s meeting of the county Health and Welfare Committee to inform members Michael Martin, chair, Teddy Boyd, Linda Jones and Tommy Savage of the effort.
Saylors says moving the cats to a more desirable location will not work.
“You probably don’t want them there at all, but the problem with these colonies is the cats tend to go back,” she said. “You can move them wherever you want to move them but they will go back. When I moved into my current house and moved my two cats from one neighborhood to another, I had to go back to the old house to pick them up five times. That’s how they are. They are territorial. They will go back.”
The program stops the cats from reproducing and will reduce the feral cat population as existing cats die.
“Feral cats just don’t have a long life span,” said Saylors. “Something will get them, one way or another. With this program, at least they won’t be reproducing and making the problem even worse.”
We Care Pray Love Fight Pet Rescue members Julie Droese, Nicole Derrig and Pam Cox were in attendance.
Derrig asked about the possibility of the county passing a spay/neuter requirement for pet owners to address the root of the problem, that being pet owners who do not spay and neuter their animals.
“Where would we start with enacting laws on spay and neuter,” she said.
Martin said, “You’re not going to get spay and neuter enacted.”
“OK, but where would I start,” said Derrig.
Martin said, “I have no idea. Are you trying to get us to pass a resolution?”
“Yes,” said Derrig.
Martin said, “I’m not going to pass a resolution.”
When Derrig asked why, Martin added, “Because I’m not going to make someone spay or neuter their dog.”
“OK,” said Derrig. “So, we are going to continue with overpopulation. What’s the solution for that?”
Martin said, “When the state passes a law, we will enforce it. The state hasn’t passed a law. If they (other members of the committee) want to put a resolution on the table, that’s their privilege.”
Savage recommended educating people about the need to spay and neuter.
“Try to educate people,” said Savage. “People will get more defensive over dogs and cats, sometimes, than they will over human beings. You know that. They will tell you that it is their right to let their cat have as many offspring as they want to.”
The Trap-Neuter-Release program presentation was information only.