That is the conclusion of an economic study commissioned by Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society under its Focus on Felines campaign, part of the society’s ongoing effort to keep cats safe and out of shelters across the country, and funded by PetSmart Charities. John Dunham and Associates conducted the study.
Based on the study, Best Friends now provides a new “Feral Fiscal Impact Calculator” so that county and local governments can compare the true cost of removing homeless cats by destroying them versus TNR programs. The Calculator was developed by estimating the number of feral cats in a given community based on a pool of reliable population data of feral cats from four states, twelve cities, and thirteen counties located throughout the United States. Using an average of the proportion of feral cats to total cats, the model also determined the number of total cats for a given location.
Key quotes from the study:
“Trap, Neuter/Spay, and Return (TNR), is a humane alternative to trap and kill. Spay/Neuter programs have existed since the 1970s for pet owners. The 1980s saw a general decline in the number of free-roaming cats and dogs, but this leveled off by the 1990s. As American society became more mobile, higher relocation rates led to increased pet abandonment. While pet owners and the accessible spay/neuter programs were successful in reducing the number for free-roaming cats and dogs, shelter, trap and kill policies remained the standard in communities addressing free-roaming animal issues. ”
“TNR programs have had much success on municipal levels, with some of the most comprehensive being San Diego, New York City, Mobile county, Alabama, Chicago/Cook County and Jacksonville, Florida.” (Best Friends, First Coast, the City of Jacksonville, and Jacksonville Humane Society have partnered in a program called “Feral Freedom.” The cats that arrive to the city animal shelter in traps are turned over First Coast to be spay/neutered then returned to their original trap location. These cats are referred to as “community cats.”)
“The city of San Diego had one of the earliest and most successful TNR programs. In the early 1990s, the Feral Cat Coalition of San Diego began programs aimed at curtailing the free-roaming cat population in the city as an alternative to exterminating the cats. Since 1992, not only has the city moved towards being a “no-kill” community, it has witnessed 50 percent decrease in the feral cat population.”
Go to the Feral Fiscal Impact Calculator to compare the costs to control homeless cats in your community with trap and eradicate vs. trap, neuter and return, both with and without discounted veterinary services packages.
Barb Kohn is a communications consultant. She has a passion for the welfare of animals and has volunteered with many San Francisco Bay Area rescue and shelter organizations, including Homeless Cat Network, Peninsula Fix Our Ferals, Pets in Need and Furry Friends Rescue. She also is the National Cats Examiner for the Examiner.com.
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