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  • Home
  • APAL
    • A-PAL History >
      • A-PAL Humane Society Leadership Team
      • APAL Leadership Opportunities
    • APAL Programs >
      • The Rusty Fund >
        • Rusty's Pet Tails
      • Save the Kittens
      • Spay or Neuter
      • Second Chance K9
      • Community Cats >
        • Understanding Feral Cats
        • How to Trap a Feral Cat
      • Special Needs >
        • Special Needs Stories
      • Adopt a Friend
      • Trap-Neuter-Return
      • APAL Tracking Our Progress
    • Support A-PAL >
      • Volunteer for APAL
      • Foster for A-Pal >
        • Foster Forms >
          • Foster Program Protocol
          • Kitten Health Checklist
          • Kitten Growth Chart
          • Guide to Feline URI
      • Donate to A-PAL >
        • Donate your Car
      • A-PAL Wish List
      • A-PAL Facility Sponsor
    • Partners >
      • Shelter Partners >
        • Dec14News-PitBulls
        • Jan15News-Excel
        • Feb15News-BenefitsOfPets
        • Feb15News-HarmfulAlgaeBlooms
        • Mar15News-Hoarding
        • Apr15News-TNR
        • Sep15News-QAMargeB
        • Oct15News-ButteFire
        • Oct15News-Bats
        • Dec15News-Tips4Treats
        • Jan16-Volunteer
        • Apr16-TNR
        • July16News-Center
        • Sep16News-ACART
        • Nov17News-ServiceDogs
  • TCWC
    • Find an animal in need? >
      • Audio Wildlife Tips
      • Contact TCWC
    • TCWC History >
      • TCWC Leadership Team
      • TCWC Leadership Opportunities
    • Wildlife Programs >
      • Education >
        • TCWC Education Events >
          • TCWC Education Animals
        • WildlifeSavesUs
        • Living Wildlife Friendly >
          • To Tree Or Not To Tree
          • Save the Bees
          • Holiday Decorations
          • Kill That Lawn
          • Songbird Concert Tips
          • Holiday Trash
          • Alert Your Birds
          • Water to Help the Critters!
          • Bread is for Sandwiches
          • No Dogs Allowed
          • Repurpose to Feed the Birds
          • GoNative
          • Netting It Out
          • Balloons
          • E-Waste
          • Organic Food
          • AllThatGlitters
          • Fly Strips and Glue Traps
          • Toxic Household Products
          • Recycling Pumpkins
          • Tree Trimming Tips
          • Saving Venomous Species
          • Think Biodegradeable
        • Nuisance Wildlife >
          • Nuisance-SayNoToTrapping
          • Foxlights
          • Wildproof Your Home
        • Gold Country Critters
        • Keep Them Wild and Free
        • TCWC Videos
        • Points to Ponder
      • TCWC-Tracking Our Progress >
        • TCWC 2016 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2017 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2018 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2019 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2020 Impact Report
      • TCWC Patients >
        • Success Stories >
          • 1 - Opossum Call
          • 2 - Raccoon Behind the Grill!
          • 3 - Saving a Raven
          • LongTripHome
          • Anita's Bird Comes Home
          • College the Wild Way
          • Releases
        • TCWC Critter Show
    • Support TCWC >
      • Giving >
        • Shop-Create
        • TCWC Wish List
        • Donate to TCWC >
          • DonateCarToTCWC
      • Volunteer at TCWC
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    • Blog
  • Gratitude
    • TCWC-Gratitude >
      • BusinessSupporters
      • Our Volunteers
      • InMemoriam >
        • Sandy
        • Cockrill
        • Glenyce
  • About
    • Contact TCWC
    • Contact A-PAL
    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliations
    • Links >
      • ContentSubmissionForm
    • Critter Chronicles >
      • Watson
      • Don't Fawn!
      • Art - the Cooper's Hawk
      • Mugsy-CommunityCat
      • Trash Kitty!
      • Gretchen&Ginger
      • MajesticBird
      • DuckTherapy
      • MrJunco
      • TheOddCouple
      • The Twins
      • WillToSurvive
      • MeetMandy
      • Furrever - Chloe
      • Charlie the Corgi
    • Kids
    • Shop >
      • Learn More >
        • Promote Our Store
        • Submit Art
      • Volunteer Gear
      • Shop These Stores
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      • Shop TCWC
      • Shop A-PAL Humane Society
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Trap/Neuter/Return - WHY it is the Solution

 In 2013 A-PAL Humane Society, with the cooperation of Amador County Animal Control, launched a Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program with the goal of limiting and eventually reversing feral cat overpopulation in the county. While there are still differing opinions on the success of TNR as a population-reducing alternative to feral cat euthanasia, we believe any program for the humane reduction of feral cats must be comprehensive, persistent and multi-faceted to be successful. We think the figures and diagrams cited here, using data from the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), will help you decide that TNR is the best course of action.

For years shelters took in unwanted feral cats and euthanized them after a specific holding period. Even though that holding period was often traumatic for a feral, it was thought to be the most humane way to treat these cats, as it spared them from living such miserable lives in the wild. What we have learned is that feral euthanasia makes no significant impact on the cat population. Most ferals were actually healthy and thriving because well-intentioned people were feeding them. In addition to that, we have found that, in our county, nearly 20% or these breeding “feral” cats are actually free-roaming unaltered pets.

TNR, when implemented at shelters in larger cities, showed positive results. Feral cat intake dropped dramatically and the euthanasia rate dropped as well. In Amador County, largely because of the TNR program, we achieved a save rate of 90% of our animal intake at the shelter in 2013 and 2014. It is important to note that, in 1988, the save rate was only 15%. Hard work by shelter staff and A-PAL, in partnership with dozens of dedicated volunteers, has brought about this positive change.

Looking to the future, we are asking that people who feed feral cats become A-PAL Colony

Managers. Among other things, this agreement would require vigilant monitoring and follow-up spaying or neutering of intact cats as they enter a colony, to keep feral populations from exploding. In Amador County, feral cat spay/neuter is FREE to all county residents.

TNR is reasonably simple, too:

  • Rent or borrow a trap. A-PAL or shelter staff can show you how to set one up. Or, click here (http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html#A1.2) for a complete printable PDF of humane trapping instructions.
  • Call the participating vet of your choice and make a tentative (FREE) appointment.
  • Take the captured cat to the vet for FREE spay or neuter surgery.
  • Pick up. Return. Repeat.

If you or someone you know feeds feral cats, or if you know there are ferals on your property, you are urged to join in our TNR program to prevent overpopulation and the suffering that results from it. Help us make this a success, and we can look forward to a day when feral cats are no longer a ‘nuisance’ in our community.

NEED A TRAP? Amador County Animal Control & Adoption Center has traps to loan, free to Amador residents who have decided to participate in our TNR program.

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