I love home made beans. Whats not to like? They're tasty, healthy and the whole house just smells so darned good when they're simmering in the crock pot. Its just frosting on the cake that they're so easy to make ... all that's needed is a little time and patience. Today's yummy lunch had to be soaked day before yesterday...then simmered and tucked in the crock pot yesterday.
Still, for far less than fifteen minutes work there is a good hot lunch ready right away today after this morning's chilly hike:)
One of the cornerstones of TNR is that R stand for return. There is documented proof that removing cats from an area that has been providing shelter and a food source only creates a vacuum effect that more will come in to fill.
That's all very fine and well for most situations ... but like every other rule on the planet there are always exceptions. There is no such thing as a one size fits all solution ... especially when it comes to the animals.
Caregivers can pass away, properties can be sold, zoning can change ... you get the picture.
Yet in most instances, the ferals neither want nor need space in a shelter or rescue. If they cannot stay where they are because of changed circumstances for the property owner, then relocation should be considered as a more desirable option than the ever so less desirable Unhappy Tail.
When these situations happen, there is often a tight timeline involving multiple cats. Wouldn't that make it a very good time to have a provincial 'Working and Barn Cat' registry ... perhaps maintained by someone in the society with enough "street cred" among the hardworking frontline TNR folks?
The Working Cat program could provide assistance and advice for those willing to offer a safe berth to ferals and most importantly, connect those at risk with a second chance.
Until the laws are changed on a provincial level, feral cats are always going to be vulnerable because existing municipal animal control bylaws encourage residents who do not understand how TNR works to demand that their animal control officers simply remove the ferals. They don't care where they go .. they just want them gone.
Any working cat program would therefore be significantly more effective if legislation to protect feral cats could be lobbied for at a provincial level. Otherwise, it could simply be used as a device to undermine the real accomplishments of the hard working TNR folks.
What time is it? Its always time to understand that we we never get to No Kill Nova Scotia if there is no protection for the feral cats.
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