The Buddy Project has found a spay/neuter clinic to provide free Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) services for Kearny and the process is in motion. The trapping will begin across the highway, near the mortuary.
TNR helps to curb the growth of feral cat populations which will reduce or resolve issues for the communities in which feral cats interact.
Rene Dow, a representative of the Buddy Project, said, “The Buddy Project will notify the community to the best of our ability regarding the area and day we will be trapping. Look for TNR fliers and FB postings.”
Dow added, “Responsible owners, please keep your cats indoors during the actual trapping in your area. You can also use a black permanent marker to make a big black dot on the inside flap of your cat’s left ear. We do not want to trap your pet cats!”
Volunteers will humanely trap feral cats, transport them to the clinic and then return them to their original location after the procedure is complete. Besides being spayed or neutered, the left ear of each cat will be tipped to mark them as having been altered.
Why not just remove the cats? If feral cats are suddenly removed from an area, the community experiences what is called a vacuum effect. Other cats, from nearby communities, will move in to fill the space left by their removal and will compete for the new territory. This means cats fighting, marking their territory and, again, reproducing. Studies show that it is best to return the feral cats to their original location.
For more information on the Buddy Project or about the TNR program, please contact Dow at 602-638-8965.