When Hillsborough Co Animal Services in Florida gained official political support for its new Trap Neuter Return program in May, the news was widely celebrated. But this week Janet Gill, a caregiver in Hillsborough Co who maintains a colony of TNR’d cats, sent me two of three notices she says she’s received from Hillsborough Co Animal Services in recent weeks. Read them and weep.

First notice received by colony caregiver in Hillsborough Co:

Third notice received by colony caregiver in Hillsborough Co:

If the Hillsborough Co pound’s plan is to have a TNR program and then beat compassionate TNR colony caregivers over the head with their citation book, I’d say their plan sucks.  Like some other things at the pound.

We have discussed tubal ligations and vasectomies for dogs and cats on this blog before with a focus on the potential benefits for puppies in shelters.  National Geographic published an article yesterday on a recent study showing the potential benefits of using vasectomies to control feral cat populations.

If you are unfamiliar with tubal ligations and vasectomies for pets, here is an excellent primer.  Basically they are surgical procedures to render pets incapable of reproduction and are far less invasive than traditional spay-neuter.  The procedures allow pets to keep their gonads, and their hormones, and therefore do not affect breeding behavior.  As such, Dr. Khuly notes that tubal ligations and vasectomies for cats are not likely to offer much benefit for owners:

They’re just not behaviorally amenable to in-home living when their ovaries and testicles hold such aggressive sway over their behavior.

But for feral cats, the implications are different:

Using a computer model, the researchers found that colonies of feral cats that were trapped, given vasectomies or hysterectomies, and released (TVHR) shrank faster than colonies that were trapped, neutered, and released (TNR), a method of feral cat control promoted by many cat advocates.

Feral cats live in groups that are controlled by a dominant male. A vasectomy cuts the tube that carries sperm without removing a cat’s testicles, so a vasectomized cat retains its sexual hormones. Thus, it can also keep its dominant position in the colony, so it’s able to mate with females without producing kittens.

Neutered feral tomcats who are returned to their colonies lose their position and another intact male takes over.  Intact females are also impacted because, after mating with a vasectomized male, the female comes out of heat for 45 days which reduces the amount of time she has to become pregnant.

The study’s authors caution that the theory needs to be tested in live cat colonies to see if the computer model’s projections pan out.  And there are some potentially negative ramifications as far as behavior goes – specifically tomcat spraying and fighting – which has been a selling point of traditional TNR.

My thinking is that vasectomies could be another tool in the toolbox in managing feral cat populations.  TVHR might work better in rural colonies where the tomcats’ behavior is unlikely to cause complaints from residents than in urban colonies.  And that’s if the computer model’s success translates to real life results.

In Cumberland Co, PA, a toddler was reportedly attacked by a rabid feral cat.  The local ABC affiliate reports the kid “is expected to be fine”.  In response, the South Newton Township contracted a company called The CritterGetter to trap and kill cats within the township on September 7 and 8, 2013.

South Newton Township is advising all residents to keep their pets indoors during the two trapping days.

No kidding.  But if your beloved pet does get out and end up in a trap?  Sucks being you I guess.  Sucks even more being your cat since he’ll be killed by some method not stated in the news piece.

In addition to the inevitability of killing owned pets during the planned two day kill-fest, feral cats have a right to live and should not be killed in a misguided response to an unfortunate and very rare incident.  If the township is going to the trouble of trapping them, why not vaccinate the cats for rabies, neuter them and return them in order to make a meaningful contribution toward protecting public health and reducing the cats’ numbers over time?

After public outcry, The CritterGetter has backed out of the job.  And pressure is mounting for local community leaders to cancel the killings and come up with an alternative plan.

Alley Cat Allies, claiming to be the nation’s largest advocacy group for cats, has offered a free rabies vaccination clinic for all animals in the township if supervisors rescind their order to catch and kill feral cats.

Volunteers are also trying to put together a TNR program in the township.

If anyone sees an update on this story, please share.

(Thank you Arlene for the link.)

Humane Officer Barry Accorti works for the city of North Ridgeville in Ohio, under the police department.  On Monday, a resident called in a complaint about a family of feral cats living in a woodpile on her property.  The homeowner reportedly complained that the cats had fleas.  Humane Officer Accorti responded to the call:

The homeowner and mother of four said Accorti told her the shelters were full and the cats would go to “kitty heaven.” That’s when he shot the five, 8 to 10-week-old kittens, with the woman standing nearby and her children watching from inside the house.

She said her children, ages 5 months to 7 years, were screaming and crying at the sound of the gunshots. The mother cat ran away and was not killed.

That’s one account.  The story quickly blew up online and the public backlash was scathing.  The police department had to temporarily take down its Facebook page due to comments from outraged citizens.  Police Chief Mike Freeman has already cleared Humane Officer Barry Accorti and issued a statement:

The homeowner […] told Accorti the feral cats were causing flea problems within the residence, a foul odor and leaving dead wildlife in her yard, Freeman said. The officer told the woman that because of her concerns, including concerns about diseases feral cats can develop and the proximity of the wood pile to her house, assistance could be rendered, but the cats would be euthanized, Freeman said.

“The complainant agreed to accept assistance and the officer started to dismantle the wood pile,” Freeman said. “The cats were located within the wood pile and euthanized.”

That’s another account.  The flea complaint cited in the first article has now mushroomed into dead wildlife, general stinkiness and the infamous feral cat diseases, so well loved by cat killers, even if they lack scientific merit.  Oh and the Glock spree carried out against the baby cats trapped in the wood pile?  That’s now “euthanasia”.

The statement continues:

“The NRPD recognizes the concern of those who believe feral cats should not be killed for simply trying to survive but also acknowledges other research that recognizes the risks associated with these animals and the need to manage feral cats,” Freeman said. “Research and other animal organizations accept shooting as an acceptable means of euthanasia.”

And by “need to manage feral cats” apparently the police chief means “it’s totally necessary to gun kittens down on sight”.  Shooting indeed is considered an acceptable means of euthanasia for animals but only in rare cases.  A deer being hit by a car in the middle of the night in a remote area when there is no reasonable expectation of veterinary assistance or expectation that the animal will survive – that would be an instance where many animal organizations accept shooting as a last resort and the only alternative to allowing the animal to suffer until death.  Baby cats trapped in a woodpile?  Not so much.  More from Police Chief Freeman:

“At no time does this agency condone or allow the indiscriminate killing of animals, but we will continue to assist residents when there is a safety or nuisance condition.”

A lie coupled with what sounds like a threat.  Gee, that’s swell.  I guess that will teach residents to call in nuisance complaints to the city’s “humane” officer.

The public reaction against the killings has been widespread and at least one rally has been announced.  I hope that anyone who contacts the North Ridgeville PD or attends any protest event will make a point to speak, politely and firmly, in favor of the right of feral cats to live.  That seems to have been lost amidst all the outrage.  The homeowner was upset because her kids started screaming when the kittens were being killed.  She was fine with killing them, just not so loudly and not in her yard.  The “humane” officer mentioned “kitty heaven” because the shelter was full.  Feral cats do not need space in a shelter, unless it’s temporary housing to neuter and vaccinate them before release back into the community.  Feral cats can be relocated, with the assistance of colony caretakers.  Kittens born to feral mama cats can be tamed and placed as housepets.  The options for life are numerous – and I would argue, the only options which could ethically be considered.  Instead Humane Officer Barry Accorti chose death.  And the police chief backed him up while implying killings of this type will continue in the community if others call in nuisance complaints.  This is not only absurd, it’s barbaric.

(Thanks to everyone who sent me links on this story.)