Tag Archive for: rescue

What is a TNR and How You Can Help Feral Cats

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What is a TNR and How You Can Help Feral Cats

In today’s world of communication it seems that the abbreviation of words has become more commonplace.  Having said that, let’s decipher exactly what TNR stands for shall we?

What does TNR stand for?

TNR is an acronym for Trap-Neuter-Release (Return).  You may also see TNVR which stands for Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (Return). This moniker is given to the process of the humane method of handling feral cat (community cat) populations. Did you know that the average cat can begin having litters at six months of age. Their litter size can average three kittens per litter, and they can have at least two litters a year. As you can see a feral cat colony can grow large very quickly!

What TNR’s do is prevent new kittens from being born, stabilizes cat populations, and improve cats’ lives. TNVR’s also administer vaccinations. You will also notice a decrease in yowling associated with mating and less fights between cats.

By reducing rampant feral breeding through trap and release programs, less cats and kittens end up in already overburdened shelters.

Is TNR good practice?

Alley Cat Allies states that, “TNR is supported by all credible animal protection organizations including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA), as well as hundreds of TNR groups nationwide, and the countless individuals who carry out grassroots TNR programs.”

So yes, TNR is good practice not only in the United States but all over the world.

What vaccinations do TNVR programs administer?

TNVR programs are less common due to the added cost of vaccination, but are just as important as TNR programs. TNVR programs administer rabies and distemper vaccinations. Even a single dose of a rabies vaccine can protect against rabies for multiple years.

Vaccinating as many cats in a colony as possible is the goal. If your TNR program is low on funds, spaying/neutering is still good practice.

What is that ear-tip I see?

A tipped ear is the universal sign that a cat has been part of a TNR program. If you see a feral cat with a tipped ear it has been spayed/neutered and does not need recaptured for the purpose of fixing. “Ear-tipping involves the removal of the tip of one ear while the cat is under anesthesia for spay/neuter surgery.” [source] Contrary to what some people may thing, ear-tipping is not just taking scissors to the ear to remove a part.

How can you help feral cats?

If you have identified a cat colony, one of the best things to do is contact your local TNR program (resources below). If there isn’t one in your area we have some great news. You can start your very own TNR program!

TNR requires a lot of planning. There are numerous groups that can help you connect with individuals interested in TNR. Facebook is a great place to start, so is the Feral Friends Network.

Remember, never pick up a feral cat or kitten. No matter how cute they may be. You are putting yourself and the cat at risk of injury by doing so. And always use humane box traps or drop traps to trap cats.

Here are some other steps you can do to help community cats in your neighborhood.

Educate neighbors

Educating your neighbors about a cat colony or about stray cats in the neighborhood can help. If people are aware of the colony somebody may be able to help out more. According to the Humane Society of the United States, “Outdoor cats can often be the cause of complaints; from a cat who stalks birds at a neighbor’s bird feeder to a group of community cats … on a neighbor’s property. If you are helping people keep cats off their property or resolve nuisance complaints, we suggest the following resources:

– Protecting Cats and Wildlife [PDF]

– Neighborhood Cats: Keeping Cats Out of Gardens & Yards”

Get involved

Getting involved in your local community can also help your local feral cat population. Some ways you can get involved at any age include:

– Volunteering at spay/neuter clinics for colony cats

– Volunteering to socialize feral kittens

– Become a cat colony caretaker

The largest way you can help though is by keeping your cats indoor and getting them fixed. If you find yourself unable to afford spaying/neutering there are many free/low-cost clinics that can provide assistance.

TNR resources in Northern Colorado

Northern Colorado has some excellent TNR resources that will guide you in your quest to bring relief to and enrich the lives of these colonies of cats.  Since 2009 the Northern Colorado Friends of Ferals have, along with help from countless other volunteers from professional organizations, and regular folks like us, helped thousands of feral cats live healthier lives!

You can help by contacting these wonderful organizations.  You will find that they provide the traps and show you how to care for the cats after surgery and treatments. Please take the time to check with them to see where your time and effort is most needed as that it is always appreciated.

Another great resource is the Animal Friends Alliance, which has a community cat program for Larimer and Weld counties.

These committed individuals and organizations work together to maintain feral cat colonies as well as reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.

Some other organizations include:

– Metro Denver CAT

– The Feline Fix

– PawsCo’s TNR Ninjas

You can find more on this page here. (Some links are broken/outdated)

Other resources

The Humane Society has put together some wonderful resources for those interested in TNR and helping their local feral population.

– Learn the basics of TNR with their Community Cats Webinar (Note: This webinar does cost $40 at the time of publishing this article, there are many other free resources out there)

– Learn more information on TNR

– Study information on how to start a TNR

– Watch the Humane Society’s video on TNVR

Alley Cat Alliance also has a detailed guide about how to help community cats. This guide includes numerous links to other resources related to feral cats.

Scruff Cats has a wonderful page that includes ways to help community cats and goes into more depth about TNVR.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have taken the first step by identifying a feral cat community near you, and now you have the opportunity to make a difference for these cats and your neighborhood! Even helping one cat can make a huge difference in the feral cat population.

4 Ways You Can Help Animals In Shelters

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According to the ASPCA, there are about 7.6 million dogs and cats in United States shelters each year. As much as you and I may want to, we can’t take home 7.6 million dogs and cats. So what can you do to help animals in shelters and the community?

1.Walk

If you walk your dog(or any dog) frequently you can earn credits(which turn into monetary donations) for a local shelter of your choice using a smartphone app called “Walk for a Dog”. You can use this app to log miles walked with your pooch, and share it with other walkers to increase the amount of credit earned for your shelter.

Check out the website here: http://www.wooftrax.com/

2.Donate

In addition to monetary donations, shelters always need supplies like bleach, paper towels, and other odds and ends.Most shelters have a wish list on their website of items they need donated. I generally make these donations after I go shopping at big box stores(like Costco). I usually buy more paper towels than I can keep in my house, so I donate half to a local shelter.

The Fort Collins Cat Rescue also has a kibble supply program. This program gives food donated by local pet stores and individuals to low income pet owners in the community. The rescue takes donations of both kibble and wet dog and cat food. They will take partially opened bags in original packaging. This is a great use for the rest of that bag of food your kitty does not like. Call the Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay Neuter Clinic for more information.

Here are some wish lists for shelters in the Fort Collins area:

Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay Neuter Clinic: https://www.fccrsnc.org/Donate_MoneyandItems.php

Larimer Humane Society:http://www.larimerhumane.org/donate/wish-list

Animal House:http://www.animalhousehelp.org/wishlist.php

3. Shop for a cause

Amazon has a program called Amazonsmile, which donates 0.5% of your purchase for most items to a charitable organization of your choice. If you shop on amazon a lot that 0.5% of each purchase can really make a difference.

4. Projects at home

These are really fun projects and are great if you have a group of animal loving kids(or adults) to entertain. The United Way of Larimer County has directions for items you can make at home and donate to animal shelters. These projects are simple, low in cost and can make a big difference. Contact the shelter of your choice to see if they will take what you make or have similar projects.

Fleece dog toys:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Fleece-Rope-Dog-Toy.pdf

Cat Blankets:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Cat-Blankets.pdf

Kitty Forts:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Kitty-Forts.pdf

So, while we can’t take every animal in a shelter home, these activities are a great way to help. Also consider volunteering or fostering for a local shelter if you can. Small things make a big diffrence in the life of shelter pets.

 

 

retired greyhound

Colorado Bans Greyhound Racing

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retired greyhound

This week I was proud to be a Coloradan when a bill was signed Monday to ban Greyhound racing statewide.  I grew up with Greyhounds and was even in a newspaper article to show folks that these sweet dogs were usually good with children.  They hold a very special place in my heart and I have kept in touch with rescues over the years.  My family even had Greyhounds until just a few years ago when the last one passed away.

Greyhound racing itself has not been active in the state for years, since the last racing track shut down, but it is good to know that the “sport” will not be allowed to make a resurgence anytime in the future.  There are 7 states that still have active dog racing tracks and I personally hope they are feeling the pressure to close in the near future.  Rescue groups across the country work tirelessly to transport Greyhounds from those 7 states to their own and facilitate adoption locally in order to save as many lives as possible.  Due to the closing of tracks over the recent years the pressure has lightened on other rescues but thousands of these dogs are regularly raced, bred and retired at a ridiculous rate.

Greyhounds are wonderful dogs that are well suited to small spaces such as apartments.  Depsite being fast runners, the dogs really are couch potatoes and are content to lay around most of the day.  Many people are daunted by their size but they do curl up into nice little balls!  Many of them are great with other dogs, kids and cats, although they are all screened before being placed in a home with any of these.  If you have ever had any interest in adopting one of these wonderful dogs, celebrate the ban on racing by getting in contact with a local Greyhound rescue!