HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill 3.D-Attch 06/07/2004Additional Correspondence
M
Adoption (Second Reading) of Ordinance
2185 N.C.S., Amending the Petaluma
Municipal Code, Title 9,
Animal Regulations
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Subject Chapter QAdditions
SUBJECT ' POSSIBLE ADDIT READING {}FAN|MALf}O ORDINANCES
Page --=- 7\
�14, ~
Gerald,Moore and.1 serve on ffi&" Feral' Cat" - ornmittee es'tablished,by,Nahcee, Tavares. We represent the
Petaluma Wetlands -Alliance, Madrone:Audubon and the park doden . ts for Sh-oll I enberger Park and Alman Marsh.
Wedrafted ordinances that aha reil6ciodlh the' now Section 9.14.1"i O.Q"And'bolieve the conimittee, as"a whole,
supported thes�eproposals. The section forbids feeding of feral ca , fs within ohe�half mile of the Petaluma Wetlands
(the original-,language calling for only a "one-quarter" mile restriction was amended in-council, a change with
which we agree). The section also restricts f eding of cats within any city park or within.a block.of such.
|yvrote�aeve�d arUc|esƒorfheF,ETALUKDA P(]ST|aot year on feral catp nJb|e'Mc, In the second article |pictured
a feral cat faedingstaiho behind the UF.S building only f800e t Aof the recently acquired
Grey property part orthe'+eoy/unhavveu o m
ano`aooenn�ox.r+. 14.0. � vv
/�aano|o|ncomm/neeoyomnmoeror
Forgotten Felines that thgstahonwd |d� �rennoYed.|tisstiUthane'a d It's clear tousnovoluntary
removal of feral tat stations; Within — or� close 'ho wildlife areg$\mU ihappen.absenfa codification,
ao included jn the now ordinances:
Within the Petaluma Wetlands, as defined, 1herej are several endangered �spedies - the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse
and Black Rai There are other'threa,tened such as the Loggerhead Shrike. "TTTVAR-M" -- trap,
vaccinate, alter, release and maintain is ribteffective, per the National, Audubon Society. "Feeding these strays
does not preventlheifrom hdn,ting",,s I ays,-the Soc . iety. I have attad " hed a,one-page f act sheet on feral cats. As, a
compromise, we are not opposed to feral caf stations, per so, aslbng,as"they 6'rb not placed in* sensitive areas, as
defined in the �orclinance.- We also('suppor I t1he regulations established for thei . r registration and maintenance.
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�674/7004
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FERAL CATS
® There are 40,000,000 feral cats in America:
Susan: Roney Drennan, VP, National Audubon Society
Feral cats breed frequently. Without intervention, their lives are filled with hunger, fear,
temperature extremes, and usually end in a slow, painful death. Humane population
control of feral cats is a crucial step in preventing suffering and proliferation.
Cat Care Society of Lakewood, Colorado
Housecats [referring, to Felis catus] are not natural in the environment. They
have been introduced in vast numbers and at high densities. Our local wildlife
[e.g. endangered Salt,Marsh Harvest ouse in Alman Marsh] have evolved
specific ada(ptatio.ns to deal with other predators... but not house cats.
Cat Indoors
Worldwide, cats may have been involved in the extinction of more bird -species than any
other cause, except habitat. Cats are contributing to the endangerment of populations
of,'birds such as Least Terns, Piping Plovers and the Loggerhead Shrike [th,e.'latter is
seen in' , S_hdllenberger Park]. University of Wisconsin
that most remaining marshes share an upper side with a.leveed pond, business
Park nor subdivision [Alman Marsh], access to the marshes is much easier for feral cats
and. non- .nativ red fox. These animals prey on the mice [Salt Marsh Harvest,Mice],
SJSQ1 Instructional Resource
® Black,!rails are omnivorous, eating both. invertebrates and bulrush seed. Predators
include. house cats [Black rail have been observed in Alman Marsh in 2003].
Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
Sea otters are dying, and an unusual culprit may be to blame: cat feces..Some otters'
death have been traced to toxoplasma contamination ... Cats are the only anima_' Is known
to excrete the resilient eggs laid by to_xoplasmic parasites.... the parasite can be
dangerous to pregnant women and their fetuses...
Press Democrat, June 28 2002
TTVAR -M ,[Trap, Test, Vaccinate, Alter, 'release and Maintain] is not effective.
Feeding these strays does not prevent them from hunting.
National Audubon Society
The usual responsibility we have for pet cats is, suspended when it comes to ferals. It's
not resp'onsib'le to leave a child on the railroad tracks and walk away. It's not
responsible to essentially do the same thing to cats byreleasing them to the streets,
even if they're neutered.
Humane Society of the United States
They are poisoned, short,. tortured by .cr,uel' people, attacked by other animals, or hit by
cars:, or they die of exposure, starvation, or highly contagious fatal diseases,. — Because
of the huge number of feral cats and the severe shortage of good homes, the difficulty
in socialization, and the dangers lurking where'most feral cats live, it may be necessary
and the most compassionate choice to euthanize feral cats.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
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Ten years ago, we heard next to
nothing about feral cats. Thanks .
to intensive work - particularly by
Alley Cat Allies - these cats began
to be recognized! By the mid-
1 990's, small groups all „over the
country were scrambling togar-
ner funds in order to spay /neuter.
(s /n) whole colonies of feral cats.
The only way to obtain these
funds seemed to be a mix; of
garage (tag) sales, bake sales col-
lection cans, raffles and spaghetti .
suppers. While this type of
fundraising launched a very posi-
tive movement to correct an enor-
mous (and growing), problem, we
feel that the priv.,ate efforts need
the additional boost of public
funding. And in,sorne places
around the country, that public
funding is beginning to .materialize.
It is important to note that
many of these programs are not,
only for feral cats; many cover
dogs as well. However, most
dogs are either in homes or in
shelters. Feral cats- present a
unique niche in the animal world`,
and institutions are still struggling
to find an acceptable way to deal
with them.
We have chosen a: sampling of
programs from various parts.of
the country illustrating that public
funding can be found and used
to solve the problem of growing
numbers of ferals. Those. peti-
tioning for funding vary (.individ—
ual, humane society, coalition of
groups, legislator) as do the fund-
ing sources (Public Health,
Animal Control, Community
Development, General Fund).
We ;can offer a few general
guidelines:
• Have A Working Committee:
Recruit '-people with skills recog-
riized by mainstream
,(lawyer, bookkeeper, gr "ant - write{,
marketing or p.r. expert)
O : Have An Action - Plan- Present
a wet ih out plan.. You can
steal ideas from other communi-
ties - no need to re- invent the,
wheel
Be Flexible: just because you.
have a plan, you need, not be
rigid.. Often people will "buy.
into "' (accept) a plan better if
have, had input.
Plan To Keep Good Records:
Alley Cat Allies and the Feral Cat
Coalition have great model track-
ing sheets and systems.
® Do Your Homework: Who
makes the decisions? What are the
deadlines? How does your
city /county work? Do they spend
money on animals now? What
are the laws?
O Get. Local Numbers: How
many rabies complaints? Dog
bites ?'Eu.thanasias? Turn negative
elements into points for your side.
Obtain Nonprofit Status: This
can take several months, but
many foundations and municipali-
ties require it for consideration for
grants.
® Find Examales of Success
Some areas have reduced their
euthanasias by close to 50% over
five years - find out how they did it!
--- continued- on page 2—
t 88u I
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Linda McCormick, President. Fix Our Ferals
chance a woman with a FCC slide
show, Lisa Camasi, responded to
my ad fora colony feeder. She
was staying just 2 blocks from me.
— continued on page 2—
y Linda McCormick
By, 'the fall of 19;97 all' the cat:
rescue: workers in my circle
were
approa'ct. ing burn -out, and the
kittens Just. kept coming, in what
seemed like a. year -round kitten
season. We all ,felt isolated
because though we consoled'.and
'.encouraged each other our
efforts were in effect, solo.
I researched many good pro-
grams around the country but
s°tnce I had been involved primari-
ly with feral cats, the Feral Cat
C °oali.tion (FCC) of Sari Diego
se' r med closest to what we need -
ed in the East Bay area. Just by
(and a.
and dogs),
� t
r,lli Ag `Fu ^ n ding l or FIlk r
SPCA e��tions County
Dlean,'New York
— I continued4 from page t— .
Recently, the SPCA in
Cattaraugus County,. which
receives 'about 7 of its budget
from the county, had been trying
to convince county legislators that
the feline population' explosion
would only get worse, eventually
costing more money for "animal
control" unless steps were taken
to deal with :the situation. SPCA
president Kelly Chaffee. attended
SPAY /USA's Focus on'Ferals confer-
ence in Denver in,June, 199 ,
there learning about mobile vans
and the trap /neuter /release/maim-
tain, programs' for ferals:
Upon her return, Kelly formed a
Spay /Neuter Clinic Committee,
and spent the next, four months
gathering information on clinics
and fundraising.
At the county budget hearing in
October of 1997, the SPCA
requested an additional $10,000
fora mobile spay clinic. The pre-
a .
1
sentation `revolved around statis-
tics. Kelly asked the legislators
how many of them would like to
see an additional 16,000 to
47,000 stray, 'unwanted cats in the
county within the next few years.
She proceeded to. explain that the
number of calls for help regarding
stray cats had more than tripled in
the 'past 'year. `The approximately
1,800 ca {Is would cost the county
at least $63,000 ($35 x 1800)
even if they were to destroy each
cat. The residents rof Cattaraugus
County would not approve of
that.
Despite the concern of the law-
makers, there was not enough
money in the budget at that time
for the additional $•10,0.00.
Therefore the following March
the SPCA went back and request-
ed $10,000 from the county con-
tingency fund. By that. point the
SPCA had secured $20,000 from
the D,J, and T Foundation,
$1.7,000 from a trust foundation,
$9 from an anonymous donor
and $6 from local businesses.
Dr. John Caltabiano from the
T.E.A.M. rrtobile unit 'in
Connecticut flew in and gave a
presentation that entertained even
the toughest politicians.
Over 300 signatures were
obtained from county residents,
And clinic supporters were�,asked
to contact.their local representa-
tives s: Out of 21 legislators, there
were only .2 votes of "no" cast for
the 51.0,000, which constituted
the balance that was needed to
purchase the van. Chaffee noted
that it is really nice to know that
the.:SPCA is located in a county
where elected officials were able
to see the benefits of a mobile
spay /neu:ter clinic: Hopefully, she
adds, this legislature will serve as a
role modelfor other counties. The
m obile van begins operating 'this
winter.
U 01 t;v''G ` 11 0115 V 0 I,U ,UUU U ,o n jQ l u 4 continued on page a—
-- continued from
The FCC slide show was a reassuring catalyst. In
fact, through all stages of organizing Fix Our Ferals; 1
sensed th "at the time Js overdue for help for feral cats.
here. Frequently,. we hear commerits like, "Finally!
I've been' waiting fbr- thisfor 10'•yearsl`'
Rescue workers,have -long done much of the d y's
job of caring for society's abandoned companion ani
mals and their offspring- And,at that first slide show,
a strong member of the Berkeley City Council, Betty
Olds got behind the idea of free monthly clinics -to
spay and .neuter unowned cats. After that, there
were many hoops to jump: through; ;gainin_g endorse-
ment from Berkeley's Humane CO mM is.sioh, and side
stepping'Oforts by a disapproving B'er,keley Animal
Control director to discredit the program. - But thanks
to council member Betty Olds, one night at the city
council meeting, Fix Our Ferals quietly slipped
through with a one - time grant , of $10,00.0.
Our small 3 person Board of _Directors allows. Lis to
make decisions quickly and we informally poll other
key volunteers on all important issues. The'volunteer
staff, meanwhile, has ballooned to over 70 people;
with ,a, pool of 10 veterinarians to call' on for "surgeries,
Fix' Our Ferals may opt for private funding in
the future. City politics take time and energy we
would rather spend on -the cats, and Berkeley's grant
carried With it the restriction that our clinics be limit-
ed to ca't's living "primarily, in. Berkeley" After June
1999 when our contract with Berkeley expires we
want to expand our borders to include more cities in
the East Bay area.
B`ut the city demonstrated that government ca
and'should shoulder responsibility., The grant got up
and running and now community participation
grows every month I envision expanding Fix Our
Fera'ls to serve several East Baycitles, and; perhaps
after reputation is well established, approach .
multiple city councils in our juri- sdiction for partial
funding;.
Finding Tundinq For ' ; 1
7
continued from,
Pa ge 2-
The - Spay/ Neuter
I rUS.1 FUrfl d.
San Diego, California . One of the ' programs
was started in 'San Diego in 1 994
with the leadership of County .
Supe rvisor Boar,dChair Pam Slater
A Beach News article dated
November of that year
announced:
In groundbreaking action, the
San Djego County Board of
Supervisors and San Diego City
Cou ncil are directing a portion of
1
the c199 license fees toward - a new
Spay/Neuter Trust,Fund. The.
establishment of the fund recog-
nines the imporiance of an
investment in preventing
. births of large numbers of com:
� anion animals who Will
ecome the - responsibi-
i ty The Trust Fund is the most
efficient investment` the County of
San Diego can ma the
reduction of our pet overpopula-
tion problem. . .
The Spay/Neuter Fund was
seeded with about $40,000 from
WJ
Everyone who works with cat
colonies should get, our video.
Build shelters Which are
, .EFFECTIVE ...
PURA15LE ...
EASY TO MAKE
and TRANS. 00flT
INCONSPICUO , U , Sland
EXTREMELY CHEAPH,
Gall 1-914- 0.5.02 or write to:
FERAL GAT FIXERS
A COMMITTEE OFWILDLI I I
FE WATCH
P•O. Box 126
Tallman, New York 10982
Video price is $15 (shipping'included)
add lax it Purchased in New York State
0-.
Fixing
1991-92
15,525
L 9 _ 94-95 199_7- 98
9,152 ' 8,424 .
San Diego one. of .the nation's
fastest- growing metropolitan
,areas, 'making the solution to this
and other problems doubly idffti'_
cult. Between 1991 and 1996,
the county,grew by over 1 75,000
,people.
- The Ballot in! IN
Spokane, Wathinglo'n'
I n 1995, in Spokane, La'Verne
Ke
tlety and Margaret). Leonard
prepared an initiative pro,posi I ng
that one -tenth of one percent
(.001) of the city's general fund be
used solely for spaying and neuter-
Ing of cats and, dogs residing with-
in, the city limits. The funding was
estimated to come to about
$ per year. They brought
the proposal to Cit c to
vote of). They were turned down.
rued'
Undaunted, the women took
their idea directly to the voters
and the initiative passed by 55%.
'Spokane voters endorsed the offer.
ing of free s/n services to city cats
and clogs. The plan was voted in
for three years! .
At the end of the three years,
City Council makes the decision to
- continue the program or to elimi-
nate it. One of the city officials
feels it may be better to "fi
roads rather than "fixing pets. if
- the., program continues, there have
been recommendations to "alter"
it. Instead of being tied to the
general fund, it has been pro-
posed that three dollars from
license fees go to cover the s/n
expenses. The funds will go fur-
ther since altering will no longer
be free, but will carry adiscount
voucher instead.. Veterinary clinics
would set their own fees and -
accept the vouchers as Partial pay-
ment. All of the money gierlerat-
ed . by the $3 will, be used for s/n
discounting'. Under the old plan
about 2,000 animals per year were
altered free of charge.
----continue on page 4—
-- continued I d .
Dr. Rebecca Arnold,
Cat Ca ptain of Nebraska, won the
Rick Akin Award frorn the Capital
Area Humane 'S&iety_of Lincoln, in
recognition of her work for animal
welfare, Dr. Arnold was one of the
first veterinarians in Nebraska to
join the SPAY/USA network!
Finding Funding For 'Fixing Feral Felines continued
oaiitton t organizati 0 - s Petit .o . s ou
Jefferson Parish, tou'ISiana "
— continued from page 3—
In 1995, the anima[ control
department, local humane society
and communitydevefopment
office jointly petitioned the Parish
(county, -) Commissioners for funds
to help spay /neuter companion
animals, including feral cats:
Community Development staff
member Mike. Strausser stated;
"those who write budgets must be
convinced that it is a good thing."
He suggested that-:-
• public officials be invited to
see for themselves examples of
feral colonies, since many of them
do _not encounter this problem. in
their daily lives.
• the general public must be
readied; in )effersorl Parish, out-
reach vans went into local neigh-
borhoods to bring awareness to
the people, '
• the problem should,,be
couched in language and con-
terns that the public officials_
understand - pet abuse and
neglect, danger of dog bites, the
spreading of garbage; danger of
pay
diseases such as rabies - in short,
quality -of -life issues.
• s/n saves taxpayer dollars - to
round up, feed, house and kill
'costs S68 per animal in this area,
while s/n costs about half that.
Mr. Strausser feels. that what
convinced the officials? Was a two -
part campaigns community educa-
tion /outreach, and a spay /neuter
campaign focused on Tow- income
areas of the parish. Activity was
funded under HUD's .community
Development. Block Grant (CDBG)
program: It'was found eligible as
a public health. service and in
compliance with HUD's national
objectives since CDBG funds were
used to subsidize the SNIP pro-
gram in targeted low and moder
ate income areas only:
In addition to the veterinarian
services, the )efferson Parish
Community Development
Department required the local
SPCA to conduct a community
education program with presenta-
tions in local schools and commu-
The U.S'.'Post Service's Citize & The
A Committee, which convenes quar-
d vis ory Committee'(CSAC) 7met in terly, will meet again in January 1.999. We
Washington D C ori . tst and.2nd to must keep the STAMP OUl's momentum
consider, among more than 7;000 high; .otherwise; •we risk losing hard =won
requests, P,aLC's proposal for a commemo ground. Accordingly, Please direct'your
rative stamp:to.urgethe,pet- owning pub- requests for the SPAY /NEATER stamp tot
lit to 'Spay or Neuter —Save a'Life.' Since Dr. Virginia Noelke Chair
PaLC launched its Pet Overpopulation 'Citizens' Sian p Adyisory
STAMP OUT in Sept.. 1997, the'CSAC has United States Postal Service
received THOUSANDS of`letters,of support 475 CEhfint Plaza, SW., Room 4474E
from humane group "s, .veterinary medical Washington; DC 20260 -2437
associations and colleges, celebrities (Bob To receive a complimentary Copy of
Barker, Bettyvl/hlte, Tony La- Russa, PaLC's form letter and brochure, "Tips on
Olympic triathlete Eric Harr), philatelists, STAMPING O.UTPet Overpopulation,"
and animal- lovers throughout'.the nation. contact:
As a r result, the Committee promoted tf e PaLC's -Pet. Over STAMP OUT
SPAY /NEUTER tamp proposal'to "under Hope C. Tarr; Project. Coordinator
consideration fo`r - future U.S. stamp pro- P.O. Box 164'86
gram." The'SPAY /NEUTtR stamp is now Alexandria, VA 22302
one of only 200 or so serious contenders Tel: (7,03) 8'18 -8009, mailbox 'b l
for commemoration in the-year 2000! Email: pawunit@aol.co—
nity centers as well as various
scouting and other ,youth groups
located in targeted low and mci
erate incorne - areas. Mr. Strausser
stresses that a low -cost s/n pro -
gram must be in place before
CDBG funds can be used. These
funds simply subsidize already-
existing s/n services and
moderate income pet owners.
Also important °to note is that
the program was only marginally
successful before the spayrriobjle
(leased from The Southern, Animal
Foundation in nearby New
Orleans) was used to.go to targeted
low and moderate income areas tc
perform s/n and other services.
-- contmueei:on page 5--
Full` Time
V.e.tehinarian Needed
for brand new spay /neuter
clinic and shelter in
Killeen, TX.
Please contact. Shirley Klein
at, (254) 526-0,114
FOR SALE
New facility for vet clinic and
boarding kennels plus new
house on 1.0 acres in
Pembroke Maine -
excellent opportunity to
establish business in - ,area
that needs servi"ce's.
Call 207 -963 -2224
Ask for Michelle
Interesting Financing Available
.. � y ruii iuicy .r.ur rrxii icJ., re,t ai r:ct�i icy �- :t�tacrt iuCu
or ofifrganization Ii,t�a. es Volunteer- Uin City Fund
s "an, Jose,. California
onti d i
—c nue rom page 4—
In the county °of Santa
Clara was putting to death 30
animals 'a year, over 22,000 of
.whom were cats. There was no
plan to reduce the number of an
mals being born only more effi-
cient ways of killing the unwanted
animals.
Ellen D mond.and Judy loves
organized The, Coalition for
Humane Legislation to reduce
dog /cat overpopulation. San Jose
was the target area. San lose City.
Councilman Jim Beall agreed to be
_the political sponsor.
Public awareness was raised
through outreach at community
events, and a mailing list was
developed. Some seed funding
was raised through the sale of tee
shirts, comedy night parties, an
art exhibit, and an elegant garden
party. A postcard campaign
urged the mayor and city council
to adopt an ordinance requiring .
pet owners to obtain a permit for
their dogs /cats who produced lit -
ter
breeders and feral cat colony care
takers were strongly opposed.
The CityCouncil did not
approve a breeding ordinance;
er
howev, following a, proposa'I by
Councilman Jim Beall, they.adopt
ed a free s/n program availabi'e to
all residents of the City of San
lose. `The program included feral
cats. Not only does the voucher
program pay for the s /n, but it
pays for cats who are pregnant, in
heat, c yptorchidism and other
maia that need to be taken
care. of at the time of surgery.
The application process is sim-
ple — people request vouchers in.
person or by mail. Volunteers run
the program so the city does not
have to hire anyone. Simple proof
of residency'is required, and there
is no limit on the number of scat
vouchers a resident can obtain
(althou.gh they can only get eight
at , a time).
Since, the beginning of this pro
gram, some changes have been`
,made:
s (purposely bred or not). Cat
Dog vouchers have been
eliminated
® An application form must be
filled out
• There is a $5.00 co- payment
per cat
• "owned cats " must have a
license
At this time, 15 veterinarians
participate in the program, five of
whom do early spay /neuter. San
Jose contributed $55,000 from its
general fund to the program for
fiscal year 1998/99.
Readers, keep in mind that in
1974, the National League of
Cities annual Congress of Cities
adopted the following national
Municipal Policy on Pet Control:
Dog and cat overpopulation in
urban areas is now recognized
as a threat to health as well as
an assault on urban aesthetics, a
pollutant, and a safety hazard.
It also represents a major city
expenditure. Citizens and gov-
ernments must be made aware of
the seriousness of the problem.
"ley
HERE; DOES TNR WO RK? cat
Trap- Neuter- Return.(TNR) is used, to controifferaktat' population 's' under circ P.Allies umstances
that vary from a few cats in the back alleyto the City of San'Francisco. Between these The matwnatii,ar cat Resource
extremes you will find jurisdictions of every size and description, with funding from any of multiple sources. What they
have in common is commitment.to enacting a long -term solution, and to not continuing trap- and -kill methods that
even after decades have not solved or even alleviated the problem.
Although the following list is far from complete `(new TNR programs are enacted every day), it illustrates the scope and
breadth of Trap - Neuter - Return in the U''& and'Canada.
PUBLIC/PRIVATE FUNDING (joint ventures between municipalities and nonprofit organizations)
O 'Berkeley, California, and` Fix Our Ferals
C] Cleveland, Ohio, and Animal Protective League
0 Columbus, Ohio, and Capital Area'Humane Society
0 Coral-Gables, Florida, and The Cat Network Miami
• Maricopa--County (Arizona) Animal Care & Control and
Arizona Cat Assistance Team (AzCATs), Phoenix
• Miami. Beach, Florida; and SOB Spay- Neuter,
• Toledo, Ohio, and Humane Ohio
PUBLIC FUNDING
O Brevard County, Florida
• Bridgeport, Connecticut
• Cape May, New Jersey
• Cleveland, Ohio
.Q. Folly Beach, South Carolina
Q Newburyport,'Massachusetts (and other cities on Mass. coast)
O Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia
O Orlando Orange County, Florida
PRIVATE FUNDING
0 Alley Cat Allies, Washington, DC, metro area
d Aggie Feral Cat Alliance of Texas (AFCAT) °, Texas A & M
University, College Station
0 Animal Rescue Coalition, Sarasota, Florida
O ARNI Foundation, Daytona Beach, F.,,lor,icla
• Best Friends Catnippers, Los Angeles, California
• Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC
Cl Feline Medicine Club, University of California =Davis
0 Feral Cat Coalition, San Diego, California
• Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, Portland
• Feral Cat Rescue Group, Univ. of North Texas, Denton
• Feral Fix Program (No More Homeless Pets in Utah and
Utah Veterinary Medical.Association)
• Forgotten Felines, Sonoma County,,,,'California
• Friends of Campus Cats, Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando
0 Friends of Felines, Wilmington, North Carolina,
0 Indian Head'Division Naval Surface, Warfare Center
Indian Head, Maryland
0 KittiCo Cat Rescue, Dallas -Ft. Worth, Texas
0 Louisiana SPCA; New Orleans
• Metro Ferals, Washington, DC, metro area
• Neponset Valley Humane Society, Canton,
Massachusetts, and several towns near Boston
O Ocean Reef Cat, Key Largo, Florida
0 Operation Catnip: Raleigh, North Carolina; Gainesville,
Florida; and Richmond, Virginia
0 People and Animals in Community (PACT),
Downers Grove, Illinois
0. PetPal of Flagler County, Florida
0 Regina Correctional Centre, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Rockwood Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• 'San Francisco SPCA, California
• Spay and Stay, Lake- County, Illinois, .
• Stanford Cat Network,. Stanford University, California
• Tait's Every Animal Matters (TEAM), Connecticut
• The Bear Foundation, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
• Tompkins County SPCA, Ithaca, New York
• UT Campus Cat Coalition, University of Texas — Austin
Alley Cat Allies ! S801 BELMONT ROAD, NW, SUITE 201 -WASHINGTON, DC 200 09 - 5 1 47
WWW 'ACLEYCAT.ORG and WWW.PETS911.COM
. ®2002, Alley Cat Allies.
FERAL CAT A'CTI VIST WORKSHOP
By Becky Robinson
HANGING PUBLIC POLICIES
IL toward stray and feral cats often
requires activists to meet with ani-
mal control or public health officials.
Conducting, research and planning ahead
greatly increase.ou'r likelihood of success.
Before the meeting
1. Determine the purpose of the meet-
ing. What exactly do you want? To end
trap- and -kill policies? To start a dialog
about the benefits of nonlethal feline pop-
ulation control? To get them to endorse
TNR? To obtain funding for spay /neuter
clinics?
2.:Find,the right person and /or agency.
Learn your local government's structure
and procedures. Your animal' control
agency could be part of environmental
services, public works even the police
department..
3. Know who you are facing. Find. out
their immediate concerns (e.g., time;
money, rabies, lack of personnel, priorities
imposed by upper management) and their
overall priorities (i:e., public health, not ani-
mal welfare). If animal control is partof the
police, department, employees may have
police duties. as well as animal control
duties. They are busy people. Help them to
see the;benefits.of proactive feline popula-
tion control.
4. Learn the, true. nature and extent of
the feral cat situation in your commu-
nity. Talk to other animal activists and to
people in general, read local and neighbor-
hood newspapers and ask local radio and
TV reporters.
5. Find out what money is already bud-
geted and .'how it is being used. Budgets
of city and countyfacilities are'public infor-
mation. Contracts between governments
and private humane_ societies are public
information.
6. Learn how TNR, directly affects local
costs. Find out how the local animal con-
trol budget breaks ,down land how other
jurisdictions have reduced costs by includ-
ing a. TNR program as a budget item. One
example is Orange County, Florida (go to
the Alley Cat Allies website •www.alle -
cat ^ oro , click on Info Center, Factsheets:
Orange. County, Florida -A model animal
services program) or read the article begin-
ning on page 1 of this newsletter, "Where
Does TNR Work ?"
7. Establish your credentials: If you have
worked with outdoor cats'.before, maintain
and organize accurate health records,
rabies certificates, and tracking sheets" (see
the ACA iwebsite for a :sample tracking
sheet). Know how many eats you have
helped and what the outcome was for
each of them. Be better at this than they
expect you to be.
During °the: meeting
1. Remember the purpose of the meet-
ing— information gathering, getting to
know you, specific requests —and stick to
it.
2. Use all the tools available to you,
including your records and statistics, and
Alley Cat Allies videos, factsheets, and arti-
cles.
3: Listen carefully to what they say and
how they say it. Ask questions listen .
patiently to :the'. answers, take notes. First
hear what they are saying, then explain
nonlethal' control.
4: Show them that you understand
their concerns and needs, their side of the
issue. Let them know that you know they
have a job,and that you want help.
S. Be willing to compromise, but not at
the cost of animals' lives.
Follow
1. After the meeting, if it is appropri-
ate, call ,or write to specifically thank .
all the participants for their time and to
reiterate any points" on which you .reached
agreement:
2. Consult your'notes to keep track of
any tasks, however small, that you
may have committed to , and start on
them immediately. Never let things "fall
through the.cracks."
C A lley
'0 Cat
Allies
The ,vnrional rrral cw Resource
Facts of A'ctivist Life
1. There are two kinds..of conversations
with animal control:: proactive; and reac-
tive. You must prepare for BOTH. This
should " "NEVER.be spontaneous dialog.
Proactive: The feral cat advocate
approaches, animal control /city /county offi-
cials to ask if they can discuss,the' issue of
stray and :feral cats in the community. "
Reactive: The. dialog' occurs" immediately
after a colony has.been trapped and killed;
when the advocates%caretakers are highly
vulnerable and 'find it difficult "to have a
rational discussion:, Even caretakers with
stable colonies should think "what if ?" and
know to whom they would turn for help
should the worst happen.
2. Expect rejection. 'Be prepared to be
rebuffed. and don't take itpersonally. Know
what you will do next and take that next
step 'immediately:.
3. Be prepared for acceptance.'Too:many
activists are not prepared to begin imple-
menting TNR as, soon as they get the go-
aheacl, You should have at least a simple
action plan:to =carry outimmediately. This is
another part of being, prepared for every
possibility.
What NOT do
1. DO�NOT argue.
2. DO NOT EVER go into a meeting unpre-
pared..
3. DO NOT'vilify your opponents or make
personal observations.
4. DO NOT be emotional. If you are the
caretaker who just lost you were bond
ed to and you cannot •control yourself,
have someone else do the talking:
5.:DO NOT assume anything. Animal con-
trol personnel may only need the informa-
tion you can provide to approve your proj-
ect Remember: everybody is, ignorant, just
on, different subjects.
6. NEVER GIVE UP. If :you give up, iYs
over: You are all the animals have.
,Remember: If you believe:thatyowcan
effect change, you can; ❑
reprinted from
Feral Cat.Activist FALL 2001
A L L E' Y C A T A L L I E S
American AMMO Protection Funding Organizations
Ahimsa Foundation.
EdithTJ Goode, Residuary Trust for the
Edith. Murphy, Executive Director
Prevention of .Cruelty to Animals
B -6„ 82 Devonshire St
William F. Harvey, Vice President
Boston MA 02109- 3614
Riggs National Bank of Washington
617 -272- 71,33, fax 617 -292 -0843
PO Box 96202
Washington DC 20090 -6202
Elinor Patterson Baker Trust Fund
202 - 835 -6.761
Putnam Trust Company
10 Mason St
The Pet, Savers'Foundation
Greenwich CT 06830
North Shore Animal League
Tammy Kirkpatrick, Associate Director .
Bernice Barbour Foundation
Lewyt Street
Eve Lloyd Thompson, Treasurer & Secy
Port Washington, W 11050
14434 Laurel Trail
.516- 944- 5025, fax 516- 944 -5035
Wellington, FL 33414
(They fundS/N Programs and
561- 791 - 0861, eve @berniceb_arbounorg
advertising for S/N & Adoptions)
(Interested in funding ".hands' -on"
animal care projects)
William -and Charlotte Parks Foundation
for Animal Welfare
Helen V. Brach Foundation
Randall Lockwood
Raymond F. Simon, President
700 Professional Drive
55 West Wacker Dr Ste. 701
Gaithersburg MD 20879
Chicago IL 60601-1611
301 -258- 3030
.312 -372 -4417
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
David Grant, Executive Director
163 Madison Avenue POB 1239
Morristown, NJ 07692-12
973 - 540 - 8442, fax 973-54.0-12
Summerlee Foundation
Melanie Lambert
5956 sherry Lane Ste: 14.14
Dallas' TX 75225 -8025
214 - 363 -9000 fax 214 -363 -1941
(Will fund start -up, operating and
fundraising costs)
Friends of Animals
777 Post Road
Darien CT 06820
800 - 321 -737
(NOT a funding source but FOA can
sometimes p;rov, ide spaying /neutering
subsidies in the form of reduced, price
certificates.)
Two Mauds,, Inc.
James Mason
PO Box 381
Mt. Vernon, MO '65712
417- 466 - 025.6, fax 417- 466 -0256
(Like small, grass -roots organizations)
o, you want to institute a Trap -
Neuter- Return (TNR) program in°
your community. Maybe you have
already started one. You .have the
equipment, you have the information,
you know you are doing the right
thing. Now all you have to do is explain
all of this to your neighbors, your local,
newspaper or radio station, or even
your town council.
For many of us, the, thought of
speaking in public is even more intimi-
dating than trapping feral cats. You
can become an expert spokesperson
for TNR, however, with a little. prepara-
tion and by following these simple tips.
DEFINE YOUR PRIMARY MESSAGE'
What is the one:point you want;peop- le
to remember after listening to you?
Your message may vary a little with
each situation, but it should always'be
clear and strong. For example, if you
are speaking at a town council meet
ing to oppose trapping. and killing of
feral cats living in a nearby park, you
want to emphasize that ...... eradication
of feral cats does not work. TNR does."
If you are going up against the mis-
conceptions held by well - meaning
community members, you need to get
across that "TNR is the most effective
and humane solution to the problem
of overpopulation."
Occasionally you may be called
upon to participate'in a discussion tar -
geting a specific issue, such as debat-
ing the head of a local bird watching
group on the issue of feral cat preda-
tion. Then your main point would be'.
that, "...feral cats' are not responsible .
for declining numbers of song birds."
Most of the time you will, want a
broader message. If your message is,
"TNR is the best way to manage the
feral, cat in our comrruni=
ty,,''' thenyou can backup your argu-
ment with specific evidence Just
remember that your main ..point,:rnust
be:simple and easy to understand. You
do not want to confuse anyone.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Your method of presentation may:have
to vary depending on to whom you
are. speaking. You will want more for=
mal approach if you are speaking at a
community board meeting whereas a
''warm and friendly" approach might_
be more appropriate for a talk. radio
program.
You need to assess the audience's
�knowledge the issue at handl. If yod
are responding to a proposal to trap .
and kill' feral cats, some listeners
readers may already know a, little about
'feral cats. Many people however, do.
not fully understand how feral cats
different from pet cats,.and need'to be
educated that feral cats are wild and
usually cannot be adopted into homes.
Consider whether yodr audience is.
cat friendly or not. Government officials
and, homeowners associations may not
be concerned about saving``cats' lives,
but could be more receptive to learning
that TNR is cost_ efficient and effective
at reducing the population. A group of
restaurant workers who have been
feeding the cats will want to know
these facts, but will also need to be
reassured-that the cats will benefit from
the program and will not be hurt.
SPEAK IN SOUND BITES
A.sound bite is a quick, quotable;.easy-
to- understand sentence or two. At the
end of this article we have listed some
sound bites that you can use in a dis-
cussion or presentation about TNR. If
you are 'speaking to the media, it is
imperative that you use sound bites,
because the reporter will cut.what you
have said to fit his or her piece.
Sound bites also keep what . you
have ;said from being taken out of °con-
text or misunderstood. If' you use long
rambling - phrases, the. chances are
greater that something you say may
not convey your actual meaning.
For example, someone asks you
about bird predation and you say,
"Well,, cats do'kill birds and that's nat-
ural, bot you know, the use. of pesti-
cides and loss of habitat are. the real
reason why bird populations are
declining." The next morning find
that you have been quoted in the local
paperassaying: "Cats do kill birds and
that's natural."
A much more effective statement
'would be the following: "Loss of habi-
tat-and the over -use of pesticides are to
blame for declining bird populations."
This clear, concise statement cannot be
taken out. of context or misconstrued.
Do not repeat the oppositions view-
point, even when you refute it. You
only have.so much time —use it to talk
about the benefits of TNR. It is always
helpful to make a list of sound bites to
use during an interview and memorize
them or carry the list with you.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
:Give your presentation or repeat your
sound bites out loud: to yourself in
front of a mirror, to your spouse, a
friend, or your kids. You will be a lot
less nervous if you have gone over
everything that you want to say ahead
'of time.
DO NOT GET FLUSTERED
You cannot be an expert on every-
thing, and occasionally you might be
Alle Cat A RIBS :• ,1801 BELMONT ROAD, NW SUITE 201 • W ASHINGTON, DC 2000
'WWW.ALLEYCAT.ORG or WWW.PETS911.COM
asked. .a question that you are not. pre-
pared to answer. `This has happened to
nearly everyone .who: has ever done an
interview. The most important thing is
to keep your composure, and turn the
conversation back toward a topic you
are more comfortable with..
In some cases you Might be able to
ad lib your, response. Just try to keep it
brief. If an interviewer asks you about
a new' chemicA, birth control for cats
that you have never heard of, you may
still be able to-`respond. An acceptable
response might be, . "In my experience
TNR is the best long =term solution. to
feral cat overpopulation, and it pro=
tects, the cats from various forms; of
cancer." You have said that TNR is, bet-
ter•, without putting yourself, in the
,position of talking about the unfamiliar
birth control drug.
In other cases, you may simply want
to admit you ,do .not know the
answer and move on: Try to end the
sentence,'with ;a po - sitive statement,
emphasizing what .you do know an d
are prepared to talk about.
For example, in response to the
question "How 'many pet cats are
abandoned every year ?" you,could say,
"No one knows1he exact number, but
every time we find tame cats living in a
feral colony we remoye them from the
colonyand Out them up for adoption.
TNR 50101081' MS
GENERAL:
This way you turn the attention away
from the question, and back to the
positive aspects of TNR.
DEALING WITH TROUBLE
Now a_ nd then, a TNR advocate will
face. . a hostile interviewer, or perhaps a
heckler at a meeting. It- is vital to
remain calm, even when the other per -
son is totally unreasonable. Remember,
you may not be ableto convince.,one
closed = minded person, ibut you do not
want to lose the entire audience by
getting into a personal fight.
The best response to an unreason -
able or abusive statement is to simply
steer the discussion back to: the bene-
fits of TNR. You want your response to
address the issue raised without draw-
ing any extra attention to the person
who made the comment.
Let's say that during a radio inter-
view, a caller says something truly
inflammatory, such as:, "We just need to
kill all these You might reply With:
"Well, I cannot understand why you
would feel that way when, the program
in,Orange CounIty Florida, has not only
successfully reduced the number of feral
cats, but also saved money for animal
services and local taxpayers."
By staying in control. of the debate,
you have taken the heckler out of the
spotlight and put the successful
"Trap - Neuter- Return, or TNR, is the most humane and most
effective way to control feral cat populations."
"When ,feral cats are removed from an area, other cats
move in to take ; advantage of the food source."
"TNR is the cutting edge of feral cat control. It'sA e accept-
ed method in large and small jurisdictions in every region of
the U.S."
"TNR is more cost - effective than trapping and killing feral
cats. The average cost of sterilization is $50, while the aver -
age cost of 'euthanasia' is $105."
A1'ley
�1t
v
7heNattona /!rm! Cal Resaace
Orange. County TNR program on cen-
ter stage.
FEVER LEAVE THEM EMPTY
After a newspaper interview, give the
reporter "something that he or she can
refer to writing the article. If you
are part of a group give out a copy of
your newsletter and a factsheet about
TNR. If you do not have "your' own
materials, you are .welcome to use
Alley Cat Allies' newsletters ,and fact-
sheets.
Make sure that ,the, reporter knows
how contact.you should' he or she
have any further questions, If you are,
speaking at a meeting, bring enough
copies to, distribute to:eve gone At the
end of a radio interview, let,the listen-
ers know where they can get more
information. You can give, them the
address and phone number for your
own group, or tell them to contact
Alley Cat Allies.
Although you may feel uncomfort-
able speaking to the media, or in -front
of a group, 'keep in mind that you
know that TNR works,.: you know the
issue, and'you,believe in nonlethal con-
trol. You are far more knowledgeable
on this' topic `than your audience.
Believe in yourself. With a little
research and preparation you will be a
winner, and so -will the cats.
"The reason. TNR is so popular is that people simply don't
want the cats killed."
HEALTH. ISSUES:
"A. vaccinated, sterilized colony of feral.cats poses no rabies .
threat to humans. Raccoons, skunks, and .bats are the most
common carriers of rabies.
" Toxop.lasmosis in humans is overwhelmingly 'contracted'
from handling or eating undercooked. meat."
PREDATION:
"The. number one cause of wildlife decline is habitat loss
due to ''human activity."
1801 BELMONT ROAD, NW, SLi 201 WASHINGTON,, DC'10009 -511+7
WWW.ALLEYCAT ORG' Or WWW.PEtS 02002, Alley Cal'AJlies.
RN
eiuinar sueiters. to give statistics to any one group.
Therefore we have to make do with the results
from surveys that some :groups have. conducted, and to
use these as' guidelines.
The National Council on Pet Population Study and
Policy mailed surveys to over 5;0.00 shelters during
1994 to .1997, and received just:over 1,000 returns each
year. They caution that because of the low response
rate, the reason they stopped
this project after 1997, their
results may not represent a
random sampling of U.S. Areas that
shelters. Nonetheless, the neutering pr
results are 'interesting. lOCal lJ It
undividual who takes in one stray cat, a person who
takes care of and manages a, feral colony, or a group like
Alley Cat Rescue, who rescues around 500 plus cats each
year, we are all paying for irresponsible people, who do
not neuter their animals, and who allow these
unneutered animals to roam.
Another major publication that collects data is Animal
People magazine. They give the numbers of animals
have
9gra
th
a
killed per 1,000 residents.
According to AP the best
cities and states are New
a strong feral cat Hampshire New Jersey,
nnj show intakes at San Francisco, San Diego,
tare vastly down & New York City, with
around 22 to 5.8 animals
tprbgran2.started killed per 1 people.
seers
Each year around 2 million. SZnCe thel.r' fer
dogs entered these 1,000
shelters along with 1.8 'million
cats. Around 15 to 16 % of dogs "were. returned to their
guardians, only 2 % of °cats were. returned. 'While 58%
of -dogs were euthanized,- around 71% of cats were
euthanized. This would ,suggest that around 8 to 10
million animals enter shelters each year, and that at least
5 ,million are euthanized. .
dI ca
The worst are Mobile
County; AL with 70.0 per 1,000 people, Gulfport, MS,
With ; 73.9 per 1,000 and'Thomas Casty, GA with 81.0
per 1,000. The .U.S'';average is 15.7 per 1,000 people.
Areas that have a strong;feral cat neutering program,
show,:intakes "ar local shelters that are .vastly down since
their feral cat'progratn started. This has happened in
San, Diego, where the Feral Cat Coalition has been
neutering, feral cats Poi over ten years, and`in San
Francisco, which also has a.strong feral cat project.
It is difficult to state that there is an "overpopulation"
problem when we have so many cats dumped or
abandoned. ThesU.S. also has a huge feral cat
population.,.due' to the abandonment of domestic cats.
Ne uteri ng�alonewill not stop the killing. We have to,
stop people from relinquishing their cats and from
dumping them. Only then will the tragedy end.
seers
Each year around 2 million. SZnCe thel.r' fer
dogs entered these 1,000
shelters along with 1.8 'million
cats. Around 15 to 16 % of dogs "were. returned to their
guardians, only 2 % of °cats were. returned. 'While 58%
of -dogs were euthanized,- around 71% of cats were
euthanized. This would ,suggest that around 8 to 10
million animals enter shelters each year, and that at least
5 ,million are euthanized. .
dI ca
The worst are Mobile
County; AL with 70.0 per 1,000 people, Gulfport, MS,
With ; 73.9 per 1,000 and'Thomas Casty, GA with 81.0
per 1,000. The .U.S'';average is 15.7 per 1,000 people.
Areas that have a strong;feral cat neutering program,
show,:intakes "ar local shelters that are .vastly down since
their feral cat'progratn started. This has happened in
San, Diego, where the Feral Cat Coalition has been
neutering, feral cats Poi over ten years, and`in San
Francisco, which also has a.strong feral cat project.
It is difficult to state that there is an "overpopulation"
problem when we have so many cats dumped or
abandoned. ThesU.S. also has a huge feral cat
population.,.due' to the abandonment of domestic cats.
Ne uteri ng�alonewill not stop the killing. We have to,
stop people from relinquishing their cats and from
dumping them. Only then will the tragedy end.
Re cats are
rel inquis hed
Continued from page one
y ¢
The top three personal issues for
relinquishrnent listed are :: allergies
personal problems and having a baby.-
� S • �i
Thirty-five. percent of cats that enter' shelters were
relinquished by their guardians.
Reasons cats are relinquished_ :
In this issue we cover Toxoplasmosis, as this is a
1. Too many in house
major reason pregnant women give up their cats, and 2. Allergies
unfortunately this comes as a recommendation by
3. Moving
their doctors. D"o share this fact sheet with your local
4. Cost of maintenance
press and with the medical community' ri your area.
5. Landlord_ issues.
6. No homes for littermates
a{ 0 .
MM
7. House soiling
8. Personal
a k
problems
9. Inadequate facilities
10. Doesn't get along with other animals
Louise Holton
The Year in Review
ACR rescued over 500 cats and kittens in 2002:
Many needed _medical treatment beyond
sterilization. So many, kittens one, rescues from
an animal shelter are sick with upper respirato '
viruses that need months of intensive treatment.
ACR helped. a Humane society in West Virginia
by rescuing over ,50 cats and kittens from them—
these would "have been 'euthanized without our
help.
ACR WORKS 'WITH OTHER
GROUPS`TO HELP ANIMALS'!
ACR worked with several other groups during the
year. Coordinating efforts help the animals more
effectively. Some of,these, are highlighted in our Year
in Review, others included:
Many groups in Baltimore, Maryland, called us
for help. Baltimore has an enormous problem
with strays and do not. have the resources to .help"
them.
° ACR worked with Donis Day Animal
Foundation's Spay Day USA, offering FREE-,
spays /neuters to feral cats. We got so many calls
from the public that we eventually spayed,60 cats!
ACR and DDAF coordinated several feral cat
workshops, presenting the different aspects of
managing and controlling feral colonies.
ACR dealt with thousands of calls, emails- and,
letters for help with- cats— abandoned housecats,
stray cats, and feral colonies, locally and nation
wide.
ACR IN THE NEWS
Working with PETsMART Charities on their
annual Adoptathon
Weekly adoptions at our. Luwa -pet adoption site
at PETsMART in. Maryland.
NDW Ava lE,fil..�" e, At YoO
Local Pb$f Ufficel
Helping to promote the Spay /Neuter Social
Awareness 'Postage Stamp to the public to get
everyone involved with, this.,i roiect to save the
ich
7e
TOO NeuteO` - P- cl€q,Sracul
Planned Giving Program
®rarn
AClR is pleased to announce to our members. who are 60 years old and
over that we ' now in a position to offer Charitable Gift Annuities.
This is a wonderful way to make meaningful gifts to help cats; -while erijoying income and tax
benefits that can 'help enhance your own future financial well - being. By ' making a charitable gift of
$5,000 or $10,000 or more, you can. receive fixed interest payments for life. You arekthen; also entitled
to an income tax deduction in the year of your gift. In addition, a portion of each annual payment
r...:4- _ ....:. ___• 1 - r. r _
❑ Yes; I wish to help ACR's Compassion Fund with a tax- deductible contribution of-
0$10 0$25 11$50 ❑.$d00 ❑'$250 ❑Other
3 enclose the following:
❑ 'Check to be made out to Alley Cat Rescue . Inc.-.
❑ Credit Card donation will be credited to Brentwood Animal. Hospital — account of Alley. Cat
Rescue
Please charge my contribution to my:
El ,MasterCard ❑ ' visA
Account # .
-------- - - - - --
Expires
lour Name & Address:
❑ American Express ❑ Di'scover
----------------------- -- ---
Cardholder's Signature:
)hone number: day:: evening:
Alley Cat Rescue
PO Box 585,
Mount RainierMD 20712
Address Service Requested
13603
Mr. 'Russell C. Thompson.
1 5 I -Smol ey Mountain Dr_
Petaluma, CA.94054-1537
Dear Friendof Stray and Feral Cats:
Thank you for becoming our latest Ally! Your gift will help save stray and'-feral' cats - acrossahe country and
around'the world.
Whil&no one knows exactly how many stray and feral cats °there are,, the number is estimated. -to be in the tens
-, -
of millions in North America alone! And, sadly, over 5 million cats, kittens, and dogs are destroyed each year: in
. shelters.
This horrible- misconception about how to solve .feline overpopulation can only be turned around with your
help and the help of our thousands of other allies like you.
With the support of generous and concerned supporters like you, we have been able to change the fate of
thousands .of stray and feral cats and kittens. Your gift has helped to:
✓
Save thousands of cats and kittens from -an inhumane and early death by educating; caretakers
around the country about the method of nonlethal population control through Trap- Neuter -Return
('TNR)•
Prevent. countless felirie:births and allow tens of thousands of cats to live outtheir lives in
healthy, stable'colonies our Feral Friends grassroots network.
Provide9direct assistance -to stray and.feral cats and kittens by establishing,model prograrns,across: the
country thatinclude adoption, spay - neuter, and veterinary services.
But to protect the:Hves of eats and kittens everywhere we need your continued
y y J y y J „y y becoming;ah Alley
It will take man. , ,ears to secure a ;safe and h._ealth future for all.feral cats and kittens. B'
Cat All ou have; 'oined not 'ust a national — but "an: international — alliance dedicated ^to,saving and protecting these
wonderful creatures.
Your commitment and support are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to your dedication and help in the
future.
Sincerely,
Becky Robinson
National Director
P. S. Please look over the materials in your, welcome and be sure to fill out our survey. The enclosed photo
of Kai, a feral kitten whose life was - saved by Alley Cat Allies; ,is our way of `saying "thank you" from -all the feral
cats and kittens you have helped to lead. a, long, and healthy' life. Please share Kai's story by sending this postcard to
someone you know loves all cats and kittens, justlike you, and help to spread the word aboutTNR.
' 1801 Belmont Road, NW, Suite 201 :• Washington, DC 20009 *'TEL: 202.667.3630 - :mX;:202;667.3640 • c alleycat_oie
r 1 tr
W 'at ou � P,
Your.gift has just helped to save a feral cat :orkitten''from being destroyed, and educate
another person about feline overpopulation and, thedmbortancebf spaying ;and neutering.
As a new Ally you may not real ize�,alII the other;ways you can help stray and feral cats live
longer healthier lives.
Tell Us About Yourself
Please complete the enclosed" survey and return it by fax or
mail. We want to know which programs interest you,
Join the Feral: Friends Network
Alley Cat Allies' Feral. Friends Network-
puts novice feral
cat caretakers in touch with ,more experienced hands in
their local area. Theprogram is designed for people who:
o Have experience in managing feral cat colonies and
want to share their expertise with'a °novice.
o Are. willing to lend traps. to caretakers.
o Can recommend a- veterinarian Who treafs' feral cats —
especially at;a discount.
o Have bams, backyards or other outdoor property where
feral cats can be relocated when necessary.
Write to our office or vis, I it, our website for details on how to
become a Feral Friend..
Be a Squeaky -Wheel
All around the globe, cats are threatened by dan gerous
laws, as well as inaccurate information. Alley Cat Allies
fights against policies thatwendanger our feline friends, and
makes, every effort to stop the spread' of myth and
misinformation. We eed you to
o Ask your shelter to implement a feral cat program, if
they don't already have one. We have training
videos and shelter - packets available to send to them.
o Tell us if your town `has a .feeding ban or "three -
strikes" law. We'll help you fight City Hall.
o Check our website regularly for action alerts and
petitions you can download.
o Set up a table to distribute Alley Cat Allies
literature about Trap- Neuter -Return (TNR) at your
county fair orfestival. Ask us for, brochures.
o Join the FeralPower! Listserve by checking the box
on the enclosed survey (please include your email
address).
Give of Your Time
Volunteers are the engine that keeps Alley Cat Allies
moving. You..can help cats and kittens by:
o Fostering a stray cat or tame a feral kitten while we
search for an adoptive home (D.C: area only).
o Offering your yard or farm to relocated feral cats.
6 Lending your skills — let us know your area of
expertise and we'll help you to. help us spread the
word!
e Holding a yard sale, cocktail. benefit, book signing,
or other`event to raise funds for animal charities.
o Calling us for the name of a local feral cat group in
your area that might need volunteers.
o Helping out, at your community's spay /neuter clinic
or special event.
Think Ahead
Provide' for ;your loved ones and your beloved causes at
the same time. Ask us how to:
o Make a bequest to Alley Cat Allies in:your will.
o Set up a lifetime charitable gift annuity for yourself
and/.or a companion.
o Get an Alley Cat Allies credit card, using the
enclosed application. A percentage of each
purchasewill go toward.helping feral cats.
o Ask;your employer about matching your donation.
e Designate Alley Cat Allies in your workplace
campaign. If we're not on the list — write us in!
o Honor a lost companion with a.memorial gift.
o Join our monthly donor program. The enclosed
EFT authorization form makes it .easy. Or, fill out
the credit card information. on the enclosed reply
device and.indcate your monthly pledge amount.
However:you can help - in ways big or small — will
make the difference-in the. lives of thousands of
feral cats and-kittens.
THANK YOU!
G
1801 Belmont Road, NW, Suite 201 • Washington, DC 20009 • TEL: 202.667.3630 *,FAX: 06/6673640 •' www.alle cat.or;
r r
' Fundrraising: This is, a topic most groups would
prefer not to have to deal with. One has so
many programs to :work on, and in ACR's case,
so many, cats -to save and torspay and neuter;
'that we don't really: have the time to fund raise
as,well." But the "harsh reality is that if we don't
fund raise, we cannot save a single cat's life.
The bulk. of "funding, to animal groups comes
from private individuals. Few Foundations
support animal issues, even .many of those
whose founders were supportive of animal
protection. 'So we have to resort to contacting
compassionate "animal people" and unfortunately
they get inundated with fundraising letters.
At ACR we have decided :to include our fundraising
letters along with our newsletter: This saves us money
, and it actually cus the mail you will receive
'from us. So for those who .think they get too many
appeals from us, this is only way you will receive your
Alley Cat Mews. If you can only'donate once or twice
per ;year, please just ignore .every appeal. It is not meant
for you. Remember it's the only way for ACR to
continue to obtain money for .vital programs to help
cats. Some people, donate in, the Spring, others may
have more to spare over the holiday period.
This time we are again asking for funding for our
"Compassion Fund ". This fund helps us to pay the
veterinary bills and to spay and neuter cats in our part
of the world. You can contribute through your credit
card,; which: will be charged to Alley Cat Rescue's
Account. at Brentwood Animal Hospital.
We also need funding for distributing our Fact Sheets,
such as the one on Toxoplasmosis and Cats published
in this issue of the newsletter as many cat's lives will be
saved by educating the public.
We do realize-rhat you get
,( f
many appeals from many ai
'.
,worthy organizations, and we { ,
are honored that you consider
A ,.._
Alley Cat Rescue worthy of
ft
your support.'
�
ti
We wish you a very peaceful
and happy Holiday Season.
And we wish all the animals a
healthy and safe New Year.
'ELLEN PERRY BERKELEY, AUTHOR OF MAVERICK CATS:
ENCOUNTERS
WITH FERAL CATS, WILL SHARE PROFITS FROM THE SALE
OF HER BOOK WITH ALLEY CAT RESCUE. .
This book is.a newly expanded' "version of the original classic.
,,. ER K
Ellens booksfeatures:,
`® "' Fascrnating on 'feral cats from scientists around the world —
_ f r information you won't find elsewhere Encountens p Feral Uts .
k x
Touching stories from her hillside home in Vermont of the cats she
'Please: counters
PIe
d' me copies ofMaveri.ck Cats $14:95 each (postage inch)
Make,check_payable to Ellen'Perry Berkeley
Mail to Box 311 Saftsbu 05262 -031
ry, VT 1 ELLFhf PLK BEftKELE Y c
kt me:.
N a - -- ----------=-- - - - - -- - - - --
f � � Address' --------------------------
`, City, State, Zip::
$4 of the :Purchase Price will go to Alley Cat Rescue's Feral Friends Fund.
Autograph, and inscribe personally to:
Feline Health.- ACID Fact Sheet®
Toxoplasrnosis and
Cats
Toxoplasmosis gondii is, a parasite found in humans and
animals. The disease caused by the parasite can be
transmitted from one species to another. It can be
serious for pregnant women .(mainly for the offspring
who can be born; with mental retardation or blind-
ness) and for those with compromised immune
systems.
Understanding how. the !organism is transmitted can
help to eliminate the possibility of humans contract-
ing toxo. and will hopefully prevent doctors from .
persuading pregnant women to give up their beloved
companion animals.
Any animal can become "a host (rodents, birds, pigs,
cattle, cats) Cats become infected through eating
infected rodents, birds and raw meat. Therefore
° indoor cats who do not hunt are less likely to be
infected. If a pregnant woman is concerned about this
3
disease, the cat can be tested for toxo.. and if positive,
can be treated.
One of the most important facts about toxoplasmo-
sis that most doctors do not seem to be familiar with
is that an infected cat excretes the parasite's eggs in the
feces: The eggs, however, do not become infected -
until at least 24 hours or more after the elimination.
Therefore the simple ,act of cleaning the: litter box
daily or twice daily, which should be done in any case
for all cats, will remove.any trace ofexcrered oocysts.
Another fact that escapes, most doctors 'is that most
human cases come from eating infected meat. Dr.
Larry Glickman, Professor of Epidemiology and
public health at Purdue'Universiry : says "Most
human infections come.from eating undercooked or
raw meat and not from direct contact with domestic
cats and their excreta."
Even touching infected meat and then putting your
hands to your mouth, can pass .along toxoplasmosis.
Actually the same "means of transference from cat feces
to humans is the: only way to pass along the disease.
One has to.:actually ingest carfeces.:Again just
practicing normal basic hygiene totally eliminates any
chance of infection.
These are the
steps to take
if you are
pregnant, and
should help
you to keep
your cats.
I . Prevent your cat from getting infected Feed .
only dry or canned cat food. Do not .give
your cat raw meat.
2. Clean the litter box twice daily and wash it
with hot water —this will. eliminate any
oocysts before they become infective.
3. Avoid the litter box. Have someone else in
the house clean the box.
4. Use gloves when gardening or when
clanging the litter box, wash -hands
thoroughly afterwards.
5. Test your cat for toxoplasmosis.
6. Exclude raw and undercooked meat and
unpasteurized dairy products from your
own diet. "
im
OCTOBER'16, 2002, /5:THE SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL FERAL CAT DA Y
WhylsN i Fe ral s �D ._
by Becky Robinson,
ACA National Director
HEN ALLEY CAT ALLIES
(ACA) was founded' in
1990, few voices were
raised for feral cats. These cats
were an overlooked population,
even as their numbers grew
unchecked.
Twelve years later, feral cats
have legions of supporters —hard-
working, hands -on volunteers
making noble contributions to
solve feline overpopulation. Trap -
Neuter- Return (TNR) is practiced
in communities in every state.
New TNR programs are estab-
lished every day, and every single
one contributes to the solution.
But all of this is not enough.
Feline overpopulation will be con-
tained only when
TNR, ;is adopted by
the institutions. whose.
policies directly affect
feral cats — animal;
control' agencies ank
mall shelters, veteri
narians, health de
partments, police de-
partments, and city
halls. Persuading' these ;groups to
adopt nonlethal feral cat. control
will'save hundreds thousands of
feral. cats from needless death and
Will prevent countless unwanted
kittens from being born. The ulti-
mate goal for,ACA, the brass ring,
is'for TNR to become the accepted'
method for managing. feral cat
colonies and'reducing feral feline
overpopulation everywhere.
What can National Feral Cat
Day (NFCD)' accomplish? in a
word: education.
I NFCD.is a vehicle to reach profes-
sionak in the animal
protection communi-
ty who do not yet
know, or care, about.
TNR, but.whose poli-
cies and actions con -
trol the :fate of most
feral`cats.
-7. NFCD provides a
venue to introduce
nonlethal control to huge seg-
ments of the public who do not
know either the severity of feline
overpopulation or the solution to.
it, but they know they don't want
the cats killed.
3. NFCD proclaims to the. world:
TNR works. Thirty years of docu-
mented proof show. that trap -
and -kill policies have no lasting
effect on reducing feral cat popu-
lations. Does it make sense to
keep on doing what doesn't
work? Trap and kill is expensive,
cruel, and ineffective. TNR is cost -
effective, humane, and the only
method that works.
Alley Cat Allies' donors tell us
they want to help the cats and
they want TNR to become main-
stream. We listen and we agree.
Everything ACA does is aimed at
keeping the cats healthy, sterile,
and alive. This includes face -to-
face advocacy, speaking to audi-
ences large and small, and, most
of all, being ready and able to
help when we are contacted by
individuals, groups, agencies, or
institutions.
Feral cat overpopulation is a
long -term problem, but every vi-
able TNR program, builds the
structure for success. Every victory
is cumulative. Every approach
must be for the duration. Because
the alternative— "euthanasia " —
is not acceptable.
Send for National FeraQ - at D M at erials Today!
If you or someone you know is planning an event to celebrate National Feral Cat Day, write or e-
mail 05 today qio "rder your -2002 Action Pack-.
The Action Pack includes our full-sized (I V "x 17 ")
2002 NFCD poster by acclaimed syndicated' cartoonist
Phil Frank, a "how -to" guide to activities you can un
dertake', and directions to register your event in our na-
'tional database.. Additional 2002 National. Feral Cat'
Day`posters are also available, while supplies last.
To request the Action Pack or an NFCD poster, con-
tact us at vwyw alleycat.org or Alley Cat Allies, 1801 Bel-
mont Rd., NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC 20009 - 51'47.
MEETING WO CONFERENCES
Walking the Walk
What is TN' R
#r�� PRING AND SUMMER 2002 were
1.1, busy seasons for Alley Cat Allies' staff
4. advocating nonlethal feral cat control
to new and larger audiences,in widely varied
locations. Following Is a 'report on four of
many meetings held in this period.
IlGdv ✓e , te�rn y1:?,gis ° 4 t� $ �y.CfrF ra 'y
While in Illinois for the Best Friends No More
Homeless Pets conference, April 26 -28, ACA's
National Director Becky Robinson and Pro-
gram Manager Zoe Carson consulted with in-
dividual activists, feral cat groups, and mem-
bers'of animal control and private shelter staffs
from five counties in the Chicago area.
The consultations laid groundwork for a
planning session ,held June 2 at The Anti -Cru-
elty Society, Chicago. Private groups were in-
vited to conduct a' needs assessment of re-
sources both'available and still needed to help
feral cats in the Chicago area "and to explore
ways to share resources and talent to maxi-
mize success.
The June planning session was organized
and Jed by Becky. Robinson and by Aimee St.
Arnaud of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Par -
ticipants included individual feral cat caretak-
ers and members of PAWS (Pets Are Worth
Saving) PACT Humane. Society (People and
Animals in Community Together), 'Spay and
Stay of Lake County, The Red Door animal
shelter, Animal Outreach Society, Touched by
an Animal', and'The Ariti- Cruelty, Society.
Participants explored issues such as:
® The severity of regional problems associated
with feral cats
® How other communities have dealt with
similar situations
• What action is needed' in the; Chicago area
®Logistics of starting a regional feral cat pro -
gram
E. How to increase accesS'to spay /neuter serv-
ices in the area
a Layout of the city and problems peculiar to
it; e.g., can.you ,take cats on the L?
This was the first of a series of planning
sessions/needs assessments that is expected
to�extend well into 2003.
512rm =n�h'the .ssag to A rift a ocsb t'
Becky Robinson joined Ed Boks, Executive Di-
rector, Maricopa County (Arizona) Animal
Care and Control (AC &C); to present a, work
shop for some 70 animal control officers at the
National Animal Control ,Association (NACA)
training session, held June 13 -15 in Reno,
Nevada.
Working in tandem„ Boks and Robinson
presented an overview of feral cat issues and
specifics of the, dynamic Maricopa County
program.
Boks stated thatfor decades the feral cat
issue'has been ignored by animal control, but
cannot be overlooked any longer because
the cost in dollars and public 'Concern is too
high., By relating, how Maricopa County
adopted TNR, he showed the audience how
to .glean the benefits of TNR programs, in-
cludin'g higher approval ratings and.substan-
tial budget;savings.
Robinson presente l a_ ,larger picture of
how others have come to understand the
benefits of nonlethal populatioh control, and
myths:and facts, about TNR.
Workshop. partici pants :expressed strong.in-
terest in basic information about feral cats and
TNR; public, health issues; how TNR effects an
immediate; dramatic reduction in the popula-
tion; and how a TNR program can be a close
fit with their purpose and responsibilities.
ACA's ';Zoe Carson and :Diann Ivleiller of
Maricopa County AC &C'staffed the ACA ex-
hibit during the'NACA training session,,show-
ing TNR training videos,. distributing videos
and literature, and working with interested .
animaLcontrol officers on a one -to -one basis.
Robinson reported that TNR .concepts,
were .well- received by this often critical audi-
TRAP;NEUTER- RETURN,(TNR) is a:full,management plan in which stray and feral cats alreadylivigg
outdoors in cities, towns and rural areas are humanely trapped, then 'eval uated ; vaccinated, and
sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats
too wild�to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat-under care of volunteers.
1 , ence. About 16b animal control personnel re-
quested more extensive TNR. materials at the
NACA conference; another 35 are receiving
information on an ongoing basis.
Feral Cat Management in Northern
New York
ACA National Director Becky Robinson,joined
a panel 6f cat professionals at the Erie
County Strategic Planning Summit, Buffalo,
New York, onJune 16 and 17.
Early this year, Erie County SPCA completed
a seven -year, aggressive shelter adoption plan
only to discover that the county is - still , home to
a growing population of feral cats. Although
once opposed to TNR, Executive Director Bar-
bara Carr is now exploring nonlethal control. as.
an 'effective way to reduce their numbers. She
organized the summit to learn from experienced
feral cat professionals what to do and whatnot
to do in developing a feral cat program.
Other panel members were Stacy Lebaron,
Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, New -
buryport, Massachusetts; Christine Wilford,
DVM, Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project, Lyn-
wood, Washington; Chris Whyle, Homeless
Cat Management Team, Pittsburgh, Pennsyl-
vania, and Aimee St. Arnaud, Best Friends, An-
imal Sanctuary. The,summit was ably facilitat-
ed by Kathy Savesky, Leonard.X. Bosack and
Bette M. Kruger Charitable Foundation.
The panel was recruited from northern re-
gions because Carr felt that experience with
feral cats in cold weather was a "requirement.
for helping in the Buffalo area.
Some 40 veterinarians, vet techs, elected
officials, shelter personnel, animal .control of-
ficers, and feral cat caretakers from the Erie
County area attended the summit which was
funded by PetsMartTM Charities.
Robinson offered a national overview of
the feral cat movement, including pitfalls and
progress as groups have increased,; in number
and size. Panel members candidly described
their diverse experiences: how they started,
developed, and .succeeded from obtaining
funding and official sanction to mistakes
made along the way.
As an outcome of the summit, the Erie
County government passed a resolution in
support of nonlethal control and a pilot. TNR
project is in development. 49
®eft
hen of
HE P,oPULA`R`E
y�
(TNR) programs De
nations to ACA we r(
for backstage passE
during the show
by• the Brightm Star Foui d
organization esfablished,ir
charitable causes throiigl
careers of.sports andenfE
ties. Dawn. Purt6e fouric
contacted. ACA to coordir
Defadlt's DC appearance
"These guys lust lov
Default onstage at
M
Cat Day%
)ssible Collet
iprofif well as n
�m in: these
profiI e cians a
?lebrr ' ' anirnals':fr
Star, success4c
°�, ,•Puttee;
pals Puttee making
Cat Allie
chart topping musi-
rove the lives of the
- Involved .
hanks Default; .Dawn
nt Star Foundation for
An h�
I vets g
HORTLY AFTER THE SUMMER 2002 Alley Cat Action was mailed, an alert reader
pointed out an oversightin the'article "Public/Private Help for Stray Cats in Singapore."
We neglected to include a mailing address for Singapore's Cat Welfare Society.
Our supporter wrote, "I'm sure people would want to contribute but have no com-
puter access .... If you want help for organizations, take the space to list an address."
She could not be more correct. The mailing address is Cat Welfare Society, Orchard
Road Post- Office, P.O. Box 65, Singapore 912303. The web address, once again, is
www.catwelfare.org.
FALL zooz 3
2002 Cat
mcy: Magazine'
laced Alley Cat
Uliesfioton a
istofMnU't-
,benefit of cats.
,following isan
excerptftom
thatartide.
benefit of cats.
By Sally. Deneen
r VERY DAY, THOU OFPEOPLE
E work ohbehaVof cats. VVhetherthey
discovermres.fordisease . lobby law-
makers ior curb ca,t \�tib» the ef-
forts he|ph`nkethewmdd abetfbr place for
our pe��nd their stray and feral kin. These 1O
la that
contribute significantly tocat' well
i Allies — ds,/eual�
When the top admiral InJanUary'6n~
hounceda|[fetalcatsmustbe'r
naval insta by2qU3.'nompmfit.Alley�
Co Allies crJnk,ed intu high gear. AC-A
prornptly.,ur6eid,c#tfans td fax �'strong, polite
ex sibns, of sup
,,pres port" for feral cdtsto Vern
Clark, -Chief of Naval Operations at (703)
652-5303, and write to senators a co'n-
gesspe000,
ACA provesa fnrmid'b|e force since its
founding by Becky Robinson and Louise Holton
in 1991. inspired by alley Cats in the Adanos
Morgan neighborhood of Washington. D[.
"Alley Cat Allies took 'No Kill' out ofthe
shelter and bmught'� to the streets," say
Nathan J. Winograd, executive director,
Tompkins County (wY), SPCA.
"When Alley [at Allies first started no
one even knew what 'feral catrDeantNow,
whole munic`pa|ides:haveliaO-
pmgrams'^ thanks toACA, say executive`di'
ectorDonnayVi|cox. �
0 2o02, Cat Fancy Magazine. Used with permission
pa
� Cat*AMes'an` local fe tat
rt-, and', eUthanjz'ed due to
rernain to be ne6te:recl.' Efforts tb trap
BEFORE OR AFTER THE FACT,; nAM lNORK CARRIES "THE: DAY
or Win g Together,, We Gent a Job Done
R at-'fftVe ':On a hot-Friday in July McGrath, host.of "You Bet Your Garden" on WHYY-
FM in:Philadelphia, left fora: long - awaitedViminia Beach vacation. His last assignment that day
Was a hone. interview with Beck Robinson,about;feral cats in the garden. It was a subject on
P Y
which he knew little —feral cats, that is, not gardens.
After several relaxing days within hours of" leaving for home, he was approached by a
hungry'feral kitten living -under his rented beach house., McGrath called Alley Cat Allies for help.
RobnsonFcalled Anne Zepernick, a Best Friends!Animal Sanctuary staff member living and work-
ing, in Virginia Beach. Zepernick took McGrath; to.a pet supply store for a carrier, then helped
him trap the kitten. In eight hours, "Dini" was trapped, transported to Pennsylvania, scheduled
to be spayed by Mike's vet; .and settling into a new home. The result of proactive cooperation:
Formation of a new feral cat colony, was prevented.
ReaC- 'im"Following a report in the July 19 Kansas City Star about 1.00 cats confiscated from
the mobile home of a 47- year- old'Missouri woman, both Alley Cat Allies and Best Friends Ani-
mal Sanctuary , were contacted by concerned Missouri residents. Because Alley Cat Allies and
,Best Friends communicate freely and often; there was no time or effort wasted in finding local
members of ACA's Feral Friends Network to,convince animal control and the court that the cats
could be "cared for. Warm Fuzzy's,.a,Missoun rescue group, stepped in to locate homes for cats
who, were: healthy enough to bbxeleased to caretakers. Four other rescue groups.helped in the
, operation :',Forever Friends Animal League, Friends of Parkville animal shelter, Perfect Pals, and All
Creatures, The result of reactivecooperation:.Feral cats' liveswere saved.
Eight; Important Ways to Make
National Feral Cat Day a Success
Promote National. Ferali
Cat Day in your local
media, using materials in our
NFCD Action Pack. Contact
daily and weekly newspa-
pees and television and radio
stations.as soon as possible to,
be included in their schedule.
,Ask your local cable tel-
>� evision station, to show
the ACA video, The Humane. Solution, of-
ten throughout the week of October 16.
Volunteer at a clinic spay day for fer-
al cats, or arrange to TNR a feral cat
colony.
Feed a feral cat colony. If you know
a colony caretaker, offer to. feed the
colony for the day, or purchase food for a
colony.
R p ,.
Buy or build a feral cat
shelter or feeding sta-
tion. Feral cats need shelter, .
and a feeding station helps to
keep their territory tidy and
attractive. (Instructions for
building a shelter or feeding
station can be found at
www.alleycat:org.)
�� Ask. local elected offi-
. r-11 cials to support Nation-
al Feral Cat Day through a resolution. (Get
in touch with yourofficials.as soon as pos-
sible to give them enough time.)
Find out how your local shelter deals
5 1 - 1 0
with. feral cats. Talk with shelter
management about the benefits of TNR.
Talk'with your vet about the. impor-
n . _ tance of working with feral cats. Buy
a humane trap and present it to your vet
for use with feral cats.
FALL 2002 R eyC Ct#G'n 5
The for N lon I Feral Cat D
at :a ay
Trap-Neuter-keturn:
Revised and updated! This comprehensive TNR training video
,A
. Humane Approach to
is educational and engaging, and contains valuable guidelines
Feral Cat Control (24:00)
for novices and pros alike.
The Humane Solution:
Apowerful public policy tool that outlines the benefits of
Redu
- , cing Fera[ CatTOpulations
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and 'demonstrates that TNR is
.
with Trap- Neuter- Return (9
by far the best method foftontro I I
ling feral cat populations.
Trap-Neuter-Ret urn/
The Humane 5blutJ o*n
V g ,
These two videos are the basic instructions of TNR.
Purchase them as a set and save $6.
The Stray Cat Handbook
By TAMARA KREUZ, 158 pp.
The Guide to Handraisih
g K#tens
BY,SUSAN EASTERLY, 64 pp.
Maverick Cats
BY ELLEN PERRY BERKELEY, 159 pp.
How to care for stay and feral cats. Essential information "on
fostering,.sbcia-lizind, and finding homes for cats.
Clear instructions and helpful photographs make this,an
absolute "must-have" for anyone fostering young kittens.
Expanded and updated in 2001, this classic has additional,
chapters on Ellen's persqial, and on research
done around the world on the, behavior of feral cats.
m
IS 4,
"M N
&SJPN§ 2`1M
$13.00
$13.00
$
38;00
$15,00
Four essential pamphlets forstarting a4eral cat group By, BJNNEY BROWN; Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
h.
Volunteers Getting read y-for them, findin them, keeping them. $4.00
i: Grassroots Organizing to Essential information on starting a feral cat organization $4.00
Help Feral Cats
Starting a Nonprofit Organization Important information on how to structure a nonprofit $4.00
to Help the Animals to run smoothly, grow, and succeed.
Getting Your PJws More Money Overcome fundraising phobia! $4.00,
--- - ------
1' Check made payable to:
Alley Cat Allies
r MasterCard U Visa I.. i Discover
Bumper Sticker and'two NFCD, Decals ONLYI 2.00
Let your car proclaim National Feral Cat Day!
I NFCD t-shirt with this year's Phil Frank logo on the front. $1,15.00
Be sure to specify'size: M L XL XXL
ACA donation
DC residents add 5.75% sales tax
Total amount enclosed (if outside U.S. add $10 [U.S.] shipping surcharge) fir— - --
Name
Telephone
$1 W.S.) minimum on charges
Address
CREDIT CARD NUMBER
C ity State Zip
EXPIRATION DATE
Alley Cat Allies 1801 Belmont Road, NW, Suite 201 Washington, DC 20009
SIGNATURE
Telephone 202.6.67.3630, ext. 101 Fax: 202.667.3640 E-mail,- 81leycat@alleycat.org
— — — — — ® ° — °,— — - — — — — - — - - —
t
t Cats la In In bright t
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p y' g ' 'g tly colored leaves? 11VorkpCace philanffiropy? National Feral Cat Day? t
t This year, autumn.could mean'the start I better life formany stray and feral cats,
t t
1 thanks;to your generous contribution of:
t t
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' Remember, your gift is tax deductible as allowed by U.S. law. All credit card gifts,are charged in U.S. dollars. t
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Alley Cat Allies 18o Belml Road NW Suite 201, Wash gton,,DC z0009 5v+7 www.alleycat.org
- - — — — — — — —
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�
A UTUMN IS THE TRADITIONAL SEA SON,
of workplace philanthropy, when em-
ployees of both government, arA'pri-
vate industry can support their favorite char-
ties with ease through a payroll deduction.
Allies Cat Allies is proud; to bean approved'
charity for this.year's Combined Federal'Cam
paign, or CFC. The CFC is the workplacl
ity fund drive for federal employees, members:
of the" United'States armed 'forl United
States Postal Service employees. Fewer than
bne in ten organ izations "meet'CFC's`stn fig entf
standards to qualify f or this annual campaign,
Notably, 2002 marks ACA's fourth anniversa .ry',.
of CFC participation.
Look for our ad in the "Best, of the CFC,"
newspaper supplement to:the September,23,
October 21, and November 4`°editi'ons ofthe-
Army - Navy, Air Force Mafine and Federal'
Times publications. This irresistible ' purrson-
als" ad features Snowball, one of the.feral fe'-
lines from ACA's model TNR program in At-
lantic City, New Jersey.
For the electronically inclined .a link'to
Alley Cat Allies will be featured on the
Times' companion websites. Our .own site,
vwvw.alleycat.org, hosts a wealth of infor-
mation for prospective donors, as ^well as for
those dealing with;stmy and feral cat issues.
Whatever your :preferred medium, re-
,member the magic number that remains
consistent through them all: 1828 is Alley Cat
Allies' CFC donor code. And please don't for-
get that many employers match contribu-
tions —your gift could go twice as far to help
save and improve the lives of stray and feral
cats and kittens!
a
Singl Whit Feline
Seven- month-old feral kitten.in search of a corn-
"' passionate individual to save my life, protect me
against disease, and ensure that I never give
birth to another litter Must, share belief.. in Trap-
Neuter- Reb-im (TNR) as the preferred:rnethod to
address the issue feline overpopulation. 'If you
are'that special someone, please designate
- - #1828 on your'CFC pledge form today.
I leyG
.A L
Cat
Allies
The, National ,l CatResourm
FAIT 2002 1 7
CAlley Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. Postage
C� PAID
ALLEY CAT ALLIES
Allies
The National. Feral Cat Resource
1801 .Belmont Road, NW, Suite 201
Washington, DC 20009 -5147
1 .5
�' �� -�t �� a® O � /� � �s � "`� � •. l t�, •. 1� ;SI � � �' �' y �; -;® '� sue' .v ��..,�
HE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE'S
long- awaited Spay/Neuter stamps will
debut on September 20 at the Ameri-
can Humane Association's National` Confer-
ence in Denver, Colorado, The stamps will be
available for sale at post offices nationwide,
by calling 800 - STAMP -24, and on the USPS
website (vwvw.stampsonline.com).
USPS is printing 200 million Spay /Neuter
stamps, which is 2.5 times,
the average print run for
commemorative stamps, This
high quantity is a result of the
American Partnership for
Pets' dynamic , work to maxi-
mize the impa'tt of the
stamps' mes_sag'e. Alley Cat
Allies is one of 19' members
of the American Partnership
for Pets, und'e'r the leadership.
of Prevent a Litter Coalition
(PaLC). USPS expects demand
for the stamps to be high.
Let's not disappoint them!;
Spay /neuter is "the key=
stone of all efforts to end com-
panion animal 'overpopula-
tion. The:Spay/Neuter stamps offer an unprece-
dented opportunity.to:spread the message to all
Americans. Pfease make the most of it.
Spay /Neuter stamps will,be available for
one year, or while supplies last. USPS may
reprint if there is eriough demand and while
the first -class rate of 37 cents remains valid.
Use Spay /Neuter stamps,!
8 A lleyWACHOD FALL Zoo z
n
Mil 2002 NATIONAL
FERAL CAT DAY,
October 16, was a ; ao—, complete success. Alley
Cat Allies' goal this year
was to reach thousands
of Americans who did not know how severe fer-
al cat overpopulation has
become or how to solve it, but
they know they do not want
healthy cats killed.
Legions of individuals, groups,
and corporate and foundation
sponsors worked together to
.z make it happen.
1 O� Three thousand Ac-
1' } CatDay -
a tion ° Packs contain-
'� ing Phil ,Frank's dis-
tinctive NFCD mate-
M rials and suggesting
r
- ways to honor the
16t20o
day were requested
and distributed. The
Sopranos star Edie Falco made
NFCD public service announce -
ments that ran on 360 television
and_radio stations, and NFCD're-
ceived extensive press coverage.
(more than 80 pro - feral cat sto-
ries tracked in the week of Octo-
ber 16 alone). Because of these
efforts, National Feral Cat Day
has taken its place on the nation
al calendar.
This issue of Alley Cat Action.
applauds the work of dedicated
volunteers across the country to
change attitudes and policies to-
ward feral cats and to 'improve
their circumstances through Trap-
' October 16; 2003; is National
Feral.Cat Day—how wilr'you'hon-
or the day?
Volunteers for the Homeless
Cat Network of San Mateo,
California, .celebrated 2002
National Feral Cat Day by col-
lecting donations of catfood
and cash to help local feral "cat
caretakers.
n I
� b R
"NDORSEMENT OF TRAP-
NEUTER- RETURN (TNR)
by elected governments is
ian important step in establishing
TNR programs. in a community.
This year National Feral Cat Day
and TNR 'received such endorse -
ments from at least four jurisdic-
tion's> the cities of Reno; Nevada,
and Utica, New York; Maricopa
County, Arizona {and the State of
Pennsylvania.
.For;a second year Reno Mayor
Jeff Griffin proclaimed October 16
as National Feral Cat Dayin;and for
the city of Reno and encouraged
area citizens to support feral cat
TNR programs; sponsored .locally
by the -SPCA. "We are honored
and encouraged to have our pro
gram recognized a second, year,'
said Tracy Bulkley, SPCA :Executive
Director. "We are pleased to have
the help of Reno Animal Services
and the Nevada Humane Society
to inform. residents of this;option."
Spring Farm CARES ;animal.
sanctuary In Clinton. New York, .
was instrumental in: persuading
Utica; Mayor Timothy J. Julian to.
proclaim October 16 as National
Feral Cat Day in and around Oti-
ca. Spring ;Farm CARES has led lo-
cal spay and neuter efforts to
duce companion animal over-
population by assisting more
than 25;000 animals of various
species in recent years.
In 'September, the County
Board of Supervisors of Maricopa
County, Arizona, unanimously
Continued on page 8
a ,
� RAP-NEUTER-,RETURN (TNR) made
sense to the administration of the
Westinghouse•Western Zirconium Plant
in West Ogden, Utah. Feral cats residing in the
rural/industrial environment were an ongoing
problem that hadn't been resolved by trap-
ping the cats and delivering them to local an-
imal control. After learning about TNR from
Holly Sizemore, _director of the Feral Fix Pro-
gram of No More Homeless Pets in Utah
(NMHPU), Western Zirconium authorized a
TNR effort that involved relocating the cats to
areas still on company property but away
from facilities and workers.
The Feral Fix Program is a dream come
true for me" says :Sizemore. "I first, heard
Becky Robinson at a conference in 1994, 1
was thrilled to learn there were others advo-
cating for feral cats and impressed with the vi-
sionary and professional way in which Alley
Cat Allies took on the movement. They'
helped us get started, and we're seeing the
results in Utah today."
The Feral Fix Program provides resources
for caregivers, traps for loan, mentoring ad'-
vice, and TNR publicity materials. It also pro-
motes TNR for large -scale projects, often in-
volving'
corporations or other institutions
where large colonies reside.
thanks to solid assistance from Western
Zirconium employees, two large, cat endo-
sures were built. to house the cats until they
became accustomed to their new location.
Westinghouse, employee Jeff Healey spear-
headed both the trapping and relocation.
Clay Wilson; and Don Cox contributed their
ingenuity and hard work to ensure success.
Other employees assisted with donations for
cat food.
To date, 39 cats have been trapped, steril-
' ized, and relocated. Fourteen tame cats and
young kittens were adopted into homes. Even
after a three -week containment period, a few
of the relocated cats made their way back to
the facility area. They were promptly re-
trapped and returned to their new home. The
enclosures are being maintained as shelters, .
with a number of entrances so the cats can
come and go as they please.
A nearby veterinarian participating in Mad -
die's Spay /Neuter Program for feral cats pro-
vided surgery. This program, administered by
the Utah Veterinary Medical Association, al-
lows feral cats throughout Utah to be spayed
or neutered for only $10. Schering- Plough do-
nates FVRCP and rabies vaccines for caregivers
who cannot afford the vaccinations.
More than 1,800 feral cats have been al=
tered in Utah so far this year through Mad -
die's Spay /Neuter Program. Another 600 feral .
cats have been sterilized via the No More
Homeless Pets' Big Fix mobile clinic and the
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Clinic.
'WINT 20 Al leyCatAction 3
Clay Wilson, Don Cox, Jeff Healy, and Kent °May design and build deluxe enclosures (top) for the Westinghouse feral cats.
2002 National Feral Cat. Day Awards for Excellence.
rap- Neuter - Return (TNR) be-
comes established on'a com-
munity scale:through the ef-
forts of -four groups: feral cat care.-
takers, feral cat organizations, vet-
erinary professionals,, and animal
control agencies and `animal shel-
ters. To applaud and encourage
thousands of committed volunteers
who fal6 into each. of these cate-
gories, on October 16, Alley Cat Al-
lies presented a National Feral Cat
Day Award for Excellence to one
outstanding representative from
each. The honorees came from
many parts of the country to a Fer-
al and Proud of It! Celebration on
the Georgetown University campus
in Washington, DC, with more than
100 guests present.
2002 NFCD AWARDS EXCELLENCE
Feral Cat Caretaker:
Molly Tominack
Indian Head, Maryland
Feral Cat Organization:
Neighborhood Cats, New York City
Veterinarian:
Dr. John Grillo
Newbury, Massachusetts
Animal Control Officer:
Ed Boks, Maricopa County, Arizona
Alley Cat Allies plans to honor
standing individuals and groups
every year to acknowledge the in-
valuable contributions made by all
feral cat advocates in ending feline
overpopulation through ethical,
nonlethal methods.
.No More,Homeless Pets.in Utah's A -L Bikini Team became Cat Ladies,to deliver°
the spaylneutermessage on National Feral. Cat Day.
NMHPU volunteers partied on NFCD
by assembling cat shelters to'warm the
furry ones through the Utah winter.
Feral Cat Coalition
of Oregon
Karen Kraus, Executive Director
tsounds like National Feral Cat
Day was a huge success! Good
job. I am so happy to be part of
the TNR solution.
I wanted to tell you about the
special clinic FCCO held in honor of
NFCD, called the Fall Feral Fix. This
was our largest one -day clinic ever!
It was also our first,statewide clinic
where cats and volunteers from
cities we serve throughout the state
all participated.
We worked with three sh'ifts;of
volunteers, working throughout .the
; day. Eleven vets volunteered, with
surgeries beginning at :8:15 a.m.
and ending at,7:00 p.m. More than
100 volunteers assisted, and' °we
spayed orneutered 207 cats!
It was amazing! It would not have
occurred had Alley Cat Allies•not cre-
ated Natiogal Feral Cat Day. Great
teamwork °on behalf of the cats!
(Ed. Note: Founded in 1995, FCCO.spays
6rneuters3 000 cats,per year.and has
helped more than 14,700 cats'in Iess1.
than eight years.)
The 2002'NFCD Awards for Excellenc&honorees: Ed Boks'(Animal'Control Officer), Bryan; Kortis and Ruth Sharp for'Neighbor-
hood'Cats (Feral Cat Organization),. Molly Tominack (Feral Cat Caretaker), and Dr. John Grillo (Veterinarian)
,Feral Friends in'Greater
Philadelphia Area .
Donna-Rohner
n celebratioh of National Feral
Cat Day Alley Cat Allies' Feral
Friendsxlh the Philadelphia area
organized two sterilization elihics
forstray and feral cats, sponsored
by The Spayed ;Club, °a: low- cost .
spay /neuter group, and by lo, cal
trappers The ' ts ,all 'received ra-
bies.vacanation (donated by,Meri_-
a), FeWFIV tests on request;
eartipping Revolution (donated by
Pfizer); grooming, and lots of TLC`.
Dr. Jennifer Kramer, aistrong' feral
cat advocate, hosted the first clinic
on September!22. Drs. Leo°.Egar
and Melissa Sanchez also volun-
teered and "together they stenlized
67 feral cats.
Dr. Donald Shields; another long-
time advocate of stray and feral'
cats, and Dr. Geza Incze hosted the
second, clinic on November 3: This,_
clinicsterilized 1;01 feral cats.
Thanks�also to Tim Ireland, cur-
rent vice. president of the -.
vania Veterinary Medical Associa
tion, for volunteering his time.
We plan clinics throughout 2003.
Homeless Cat Network
of.San Mateo County,
California
Tonya Eight,President
I T 'o ,honor National Feral Cat Day,
the Homeless CatM,twork.of
San Mateohefd an'afternoon
canned food drive for homeless cats.
do front of "a Safeway grocery store,
we set-up attractively decorated;ta-
bles loaded with,TNR literature'and
tKe NFCD poster, a•bulletin board
with photos of socialized feral cats
available for adoption, and a shop=
ping cart with a sign announcing our
need for'canned and dry food.
The>Nett ork; received donations
of 145'poundslof dry food, 75 cans
of'.wet food, and $25 cash: We also
received, many 'supportive comments'
and two offers to volunteer. For
first -time, event, we "felt it went very
well.,Next,year, vye plan to expand
the 'food driverto several different lo-
cations�and arrange more publicity.
Thank you, Alley Cat Allies for
sponsoring National Feral Cat Day!
Merrimack, River Feline;Rescue Society
Newburyport,, Massachusetts
Shailene 5allet
WeDid It,!!!!'
hope.you all will share my excite-
ment about what we accomplished
on Sunday, November 3 —we com-
pleted 102 successful`surgeries!
This was our largestclinic'yet -We
began surgery at:9'30 a.m: and fin
ished about 5:00 p.m, Our entire
crew of surgeons and,vetitechs'spent
most of the 7.5 hourssof the;dinic
hard atwork, bent oversurgeryta-
Ues.providing their skills to,our furry
friends who otherwise;would�get no
services. I strongly suspect there were.
more than a few backaches as a re-
sult on Monday morning!
We admitted 105 cats and, with
the work of 30 staff members (8
veterinarians, 11 veterinary techni-
cians 11 general assistants), com-
pleted surgery on 102 of them. The
remaining three could not steril-
ized (one already had been!), but
they are fine.
I hope all our volunteers feel truly
gratified in knowing that they are
an important part of the effort:to
reduce the number of homeless
scats cats.born into a difficult life,
cat.overpopulation, and healthy
cats facing euthanasia. Our team is
AWESOME!
No More :Homeless Pets in Utah
Holly Sizemore, Program, Director
National Feral Cat Day:
Ferals, Fun, and Fixin'I
The NMHPU Feral Fix Program
used NFCD to raise awareness and
promote the humane treatment of
feral cats.
We started early with a live radio
remote on X -96 Radio to talk ,up'fer-
al cats and promote Maddie's
Spay/Neuter Program for feral cats
administered by the Utah Veterinary
Medical Association. The A- List" Bikini
Team dressed as Cat Ladies and
handed out cat -faced donuts, t-
shirts, and TNR literature to the pub-
lic. Feral fix volunteers gave trap
demonstrations and answered ques-
tions about TNRAater, NMHPU'host-
ed a gathering where volunteers
built winter cat shelters in.,a party at
mosphere More'than 1.00 feral cats
will staywarm this winter, thanks to
Advance Foam Plastics who gener-
ously donated'the'Styrofoam. The
event was a huge success!
Almost 2;500 feral cats have been
sterilized this .,year because of dedi-
cated volunteers out there in the
trenches trapping!
�1
WWI
The Marketplace
Trap-Neuter-Return:
Revised and updated! This comprehensive TNR training video
$
A to
is educational and engaging, and contains valuable guidelines:
Feral Cat Control (24
for novices and :pros 'alik
VH5 only
The Humane 'Solution-
A powerful public policy tool that outlines the benef of 1
$1100
Reducing Feral. Cat. Populations
Trap-Neuter - Return (TNR) and demonstrates that TNR is
with Trap- Neuter- Return (9.56)
by far the best method for controlling fera I cat populations.
VHS only
Trap-Neuter-Return/
Thes,'tWo'videos,are the basic instructions of TNR.
vaoo
The Humane Sol ution V
Purchas e'them as a set ,. and save .$6. Please indicate'VHSor DVD
I I A 101
The Stray Cat Handbook
How to care for stray and feral. cats. Essential information on
.$10.00
By TAM,A_RA KREUZ 1'58 pp:
fosterin socializing, and findin homes for cats.
The Guide to Handroisin4'Kittens
Clear ihstructions,and hIelpfil photographs make this an
',$8.00
BY SUSAN EASTERLY,, 64 op.,
absolute "rnust-have" for anyone fostering young kittens.
Maverick Cats
Expanded and updated in 2001., this classic has additional
$15.00
BY PERRY BERKELEY, 159 pp.,
chapters on Ellen,s personal experiences and on research
done around the world on the behavior of feral cats.
DisgosableAnimals
Explains the use of euthanasia by animal and animal welfare
$14.00
BY CRAIG BRESTRUP, 207 pp.
organizations; andthe consequences Of this practice.
Four essential pamphlets for starting 'a
feral cat group By BONNEY BROWN,. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Volunteers
Getting ready for them, finding them, keeping them.
$4;00
Grassroots Organizing to
Essential information about starting a feral cat organization.
$4:00
Help Feral Cats
Starting a Nonprofit Organization
Important information on how to structure a nonprofit
$4.00
to Help, the Animals
to run smoothly, grow, and succeed.
Getting Your Paws on More Money
Overcome fundraising phobia!
$4.00
National
FeralCatDay
2002 NFCD.'t-shitt with Phil Frank logo on the front.
$15:00
Be sure to specify size M L
XL
ACA donation
DC resident sales tax
"
Total amount enclosed (i f outside U.S. add $10 [US.] shipping surcharge)
16,
Bet 2002
Method of Payment.
To ensure delivery, please complete the following lines.
U Check'ma,de payable to
Alley Cat Allies
Name: Telephone
CJ MasterCard ❑ Visa ❑ Discover
$10 (U.S.)'minimum on charges
Address
C ity State
Zip
CREDIT CARD NUMBER'
Mail to:
EXPIRATION DATE
Alley Cat Allies 1801 Belmont Road NW Suite 201 Washington,,
DC 20009-5147
TELEPHO 202.667.3630, exti 101 FAX: 202.667.3640 : E-MAIL.
alleycatCalleycat.org
SIGNATURE
6 Afteyc4tAtti0t, W.I'N'T.E 20:02 1
1 _. — — - — — — — — — - - - — — — —
1' Your contribution will hel make this a, health and safe win 1
p g y ter for thousands of stray and feral. cats' Ii
1 P
andlllwill help us et a head start otrpreventing spring: litters. Without our toyat Allies like you, t
1 the work we do to make life better for the�cats would not be possible. t
s
1 Thank you for your''generous holiday gift of: 1
1 B
1
I ❑ $35 ❑ $50 Lj,'$ioo ❑ $z5o ❑ $.500 ❑ Other:$ p
9
1 Remember, your gift is tax deductible as allowed by U.S. law: Al[credit card gifts are charged in U.S. dollars. o
t �
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t
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9 1
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MAILING ADDRESS VISA k t
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t, CITY. STATE ZIP t
DISCOVER k
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PHONENUMBER 1
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1 Alley Cat Allies i8o1 Belmont' - Road: NW S&0201, Washington, DC 2000 9-51+7 www•alleycat.org
s r
----------- - - - - -. - — _ — — — — — — —�
ATIme for Re
HE RUSH OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
is upon us. Last minute presents, holi-
day baking, and decorating the house
seem to consume all of our time in these last
few days before our various celebrations at
year's end.
But this is also the time of theyear when
we reflect on what has happened in our lives;
and the lives, of our loved ones over last'
12 months'.
Here at Alley Cat Allies this last year has
been one of both successes and'challenges.
® Our Northern, Virginia no -cost clinic has
spayed or neutered over 600 stray and'feral cats
and kittens this year. Multiply this by the number
of cats our Feral Friends and volunteers across -
the country have also spayed :or neutered, and,
the number climbs to many thousands!
Is We distributed more than 3,000 free edu-
cational packets for National Feral ,Cat :Day
and our NFCD poster was displayed in count
less. veterinarians' offices and animal shelters
across the country.
Is Our�participation at 'no-kill" conferences
helped to educate public officials about TNR
and its effectiveness as the'humane solution
to feline.overpopulation.
We coi ld'not have had this success without;
your help. Your support of our efforts „has'
'made, the difference to, and has ;saved' the
lives, of, thousands of stray and - feral cats
across the country. I
But we have only scratched the!surface in
our efforts to provide a safe, healthy, and dig
nified life for the millions of stray and feral
cats living among us.
We still fighting to overturn the.myths .
and 'the outdated methods of feline popula-
tion control that are still practiced by many
federal, state, and municipal officials.
How,can you help?
We need your continued support to help us
educate these officials about TNR and its ben-
efits to the cats and to the community as a
whole.
Please consider a special year -end contri-
bution that will help .us to:
1. Keep the cats healthy and safe over
the
winter.
2 Get,a�head;start on preventing spring litters
. through continued spay /neuter efforts this
Winter.,_
3. Continue to contact public, officials and
shelter administrators to educate them about
TNR -the only humane solution to feline
overpopulation.
WINTER 2 002 AtleyCatAction - 7
F•
0 N NOVEMBER 14, Alley Cat Allies'
National:Director Becky Robinson took
the message of nonlethal feline popu
lation'control to a global audience at the Fifth
International Companion Animal Welfare
Conference ( ICAWC), in Prague, Czech Re-
public. Ms. Robinson's'pres
entation was entitled "TNR:
How Neighborhoods and
Communities Can Stop Fer-
al Feline Overpopulation,"
More than 250. participants.
from 30 countries attended'
her presentation which was
simultaneouslytranslated 'in-
to five languages.
Based on Alley Cat Al-
lies' experience as the rec-
ognized expert in nonlethal
feral cat population controf
in the U.S., Ms. Robinson,
outlined the requirement's;
for starting a Trap - Neuter-
Return (TNR), program 'in any community
worldwide. She cited examples of notable
TNR prograrris that,began with few financial
or other, resources; butstabilized and grew
from the efforts of. committed volunteers.
The conference'. program covered subjects
related to companion ani-
mal health, environment,
and services, with a dozen
speakers from the, U.S., the
U'.K., and other countries.
The ICAWC was,founded in
1996 by the _North. Shore
Animal League Internation-
'al to improve: relationships
among animal welfare or-
ganizations and provide hu-
mane on a glob-
al basis.
Ms: Robinson's ICAWC
white paper can be viewed
'on Alley Cat Allies' web-
site: wvvw :alleycat.org.
8 Alley n WINTER zoo.
Four Jurisdictions Pass
National Feral Cat Day/
Trap- Neuter. :Return
Resolutions
Continued froin,paoe ,T
designated Maricopa County Animal Care &
Control's FELIX (Feral Education & Love In-
stead of X- Germination) program the ' "off icial-
ly approved means to solving`feral cat related
problems in Maricopa County:" FELIX pro-
vides ,spay /neuter services for feral cats
throughout the county.
The' Pennsylvania House of Representatives
unanimously passed 'the National Feral Cat
Day Resolution. (House. Resolution 657, Print-
er's No. 4285) on September 24 2002. Stat-
'ing that Trap- Neuter - Return "has been proven
to help control cat population s...and that cats
can live healthy, safe and peaceful lives:in their
territories," and acknowledging strong sup-
port among veterinarians,, humane societies,
,national andaocal°animal protection organiza-
tior s, and private citizens, the resolution pro-
claimed' October 16 to be National Feral Cat
Day in Pennsylvania.