There are four windows in my living room... the two on the south overlook the birdfeeders in the backyard, while the two on the north afford a splendid view of the birds in the shrubbery out front. All four of my cats can pick their own "channel" of cat TV and have their choice of a solitary perch or sharing a windowsill with one or more friends.
By the best estimates of SPCANS last spring, there are 300,000 stray and feral cats in Nova Scotia. Three hundred thousand! That number just boggles the mind and its a wonder that anyone who works frontline animal rescue can even be civil those who are too careless/foolish/just plain stupid to spay and neuter their cats.
It is definitely not winter wonderland outside for the strays and ferals now. As the mercury drops, the first generation strays who were dumped this year are ill prepared to cope with the cold. Feral cat colonies in this province are in continual danger of being trapped and killed by municipal AC's around the province. Even tended cat colonies are at risk when there is no provision for ferals in any municipal bylaws in NS.
Three hundred thousand! More than one solution will be needed to tackle a problem this big:
- TNR is not an unheard of concept here in NS. Thanks to the pioneering work and information provided by Alley Cat Allies , we have several hard working, experienced little TNR groups in this province. Why haven't they been able to make a dent? Actually, Team TNR in Annapolis County has made a big difference in less than three years. Why can't all the others follow suit? Annapolis County budgets a modest amount to subsidize the work done by TNR. Even though TNR groups are volunteer powered, they still need funding to cover the testing/vaccinating and altering costs. Without funding their work is put on the back burner while they fundraise to pay off their vet bills. Consistent funding for TNR by all municipalities in the province will play a critical part in the solution
- Municipal bylaws, such as HRM's A-300 and Kings County's 12A, make no provision for stray and feral cats. Existing "at large" clauses are used by AC's around the province to justify the 'catch and kill' approach to strays and ferals. This failure to protect the ferals does affect domestic cats - we all remember the tragic story of Ducky, the elderly cat who was killed by HRM within hours of being seized. Acceptance of the need for, and more importantly legal protection for, managed feral cat colonies must play a key role in any solution
- Somewhere along the line, we have really 'thrown out the baby with the bathwater' when it comes to feral cats. From barnyards to business premises, there is no more environmentally friendly option for controlling vermin than a feral cat. In LA, the Voice for Animal Advocacy, with a grant from the Petco foundation has implemented a program where ferals from TNR programs are relocated to places that have problems with rats. http://www.vftafoundation.org/workingcats.htm. The beauty of this idea is that it transforms perception of ferals from being a nuisance to being a valuable asset. Creation of a Working Cat program in NS would save lives and be a valuable reminder of the traditional roles that housecats cannot fill.
- There is still considerable opposition to early age spay/neuter for kittens. After fifty years, there is enough data available that the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has taken a position of support for early age spay neuter http://cfhs.ca/athome/early_age_spay_neuter/ The traditional timeline of six months does not address the population problem as effectively as early age spay neuter. A positive position statement by the society for early age spay/neuter would have a significant impact on prejudice and opposition.
- Tis the season for the first generation strays to start showing up on doorsteps, desperate for a new home. In the current economic climate, kind people who would normally "take in" a stray have to think twice if they are going to do it properly with tests/vaccinations and of course spay/neuter. At the same time, tax breaks are getting scarcer for all NS businesses. Cooperative support between NS businesses and the society for assistance with the initial expense of "taking in' stray cats could save lives, while 'saving' on taxes.
- Its really tough for seniors to make ends meet. Many would love the company of a pet but are unable to afford one. Its a proven fact that there are many health benefits to pet ownership. ( In recognition of that, CAPS has a very cool program called PAWS - pairing animals with seniors, where eligible seniors can be long term fosters for pets .... not to be confused with the group at St Mary's university working to help pets : ) Here in Nova Scotia, there is a Department of Seniors. http://www.gov.ns.ca/scs/ A cooperative partnership between the society, rescue groups and the Dept of Seniors could "free up' shelter space for first generation strays while boosting the quality of life for NS Seniors. Appropriate assistance for food and vet costs would be a low cost solution that would yield unimaginable benefits for our seniors.
- Adoption fees never cover all the costs associated with rescuing each pet. A $25.00 cat adoption fee for those with suitable vet references would help 'undercut' the free kitten market.
- Without a good SNAP, the tap will never be turned off. It is the critical foundation for the population problem. Cooperative support between the society and the provincial government for a "Big Fix" program would ensure consistent funding and at the same time would be an excellent way to connect the society with the public in this province.
- Microchipping is a valuable tool in the pet retention arsenal. Low cost microchipping clinics would be another great way for the society to engage the NS public.
- Every pet that "stays home" is one less homeless pet. The Free Ride Home concept http://www.nshomelesspets.com/2008_04_24_10_17_51.pdf, offers a more successful way to encourage responsible, lifetime pet ownership. Universal adoption by all NS municipalities of free lifetime licences for microchipped and altered pets would be a more cost effective way to address the problem of strays.
- And of course last, but very definitely not least ...... as long as people can "hide" irresponsible and uncommitted pet ownership behind the anonymity of free online ad sites, there will always be another round of 'free kittens" to keep the annual river of cats at full flush. Online ad sites also provide an excellent place for uncommitted pet owners to keep cycling though pet after pet. ( The issue of how the unscrupulous can prey on the unsuspecting is a separate rant for another day) Banning any type of traffic in animals in online ad sites isn't just a population issue, its a consumer protection issue on every level
Three hundred thousand cats. On any given day there are a minimum of three hundred cats listed on the rescue and petfinder sites around the province. What time is it? Its time to figure something out for the other two hundred and ninety-nine thousand and seven hundred. We will never get to No Kill Nova Scotia until we do.
2 comments:
thanks for your terrific post!
I would only disagree that re-location of feral cats is the best use of resources (the Working Cats model); it costs a lot more to re-locate cats (which means you can help fewer cats) than to trap-neuter- and RETURN them. Just last week there was an article mentioning that UCLA "got rid" of their campus cats (which usually means trap-and-kill for the ferals) - were subsequently overrun by rats - and is now re-establishing a colony there.
I lost a much longer response to your post (thanks, Blogger!) but I would also mention that there was a feral cat conference in Toronto, just yesterday. The TNR movement here in the US, anyway, is growing all the time. Although the big picture is hard to see, we know TNR works in backyards and cities such as Indianapolis (indyferal.org), Manhattan (neighborhoodcats.org) and San Francisco (FCC.org).
I build and sell drop traps "to the trade" and business is booming across the country! (www.droptrapdesign.blogspot.com)
We know that increased capacity and improved access to low-cost spay/neuter is a big piece of the puzzle. If we expect people or humane orgs to spay/neuter feral cats in their backyards, as well as low-income and multi-cat pet owners to spay/neuter their animals, we have to make spay/neuter affordable and easy. See the great video at humanealliance.org.
Vets often organize to block these efforts, and they don't see the urgency in pediatric spay/neuter, either. The public has to assert that they want these things to happen - that the public interest in preventing the birth of unwanted animals overrides other considerations.
Amen to your post above, we need vets to get on board. I realize this is a business for them, but if every vet could give 1 day a month to low cost spay/neuter, it would make a huge difference and would also give encouragement to some of the rescues & orgs. who have the will to help, but are discouraged by the lack of empathy they've found in (some of)the vet community.
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