Westchester County Needs a Trap-Neuter-Return Program

The problem of unowned, free-roaming cats in Westchester County has been ignored for many decades. Caring individuals and small rescue groups are doing their best to address the issue, but they can't do it alone—and they shouldn't have to. It is a community and public health issue, and residents simply don't have the resources to resolve it on their own. 

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a community-based program with a long track record of success. Cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and ear-tipped to identify them as being sterilized and vaccinated. Once recovered from surgery, the cats are returned to their original territory where they receive ongoing care and monitoring by a caregiver. When possible, friendly adult cats and young kittens are rescued and adopted into homes.

 

"Community cat" is an umbrella term for any unowned, free-roaming cat. All communities have community cats—they live wherever people live.

TNR addresses residents' concerns and results in fewer problems and complaints for municipalities. It stops the breeding cycle, which stabilizes and ultimately reduces the number of cats living on the streets. It also helps improve quality of life for residents by reducing nuisance behaviors, such as spraying, fighting, and roaming, and improves the cats' lives by removing the stress of mating and raising litter after litter of kittens. The cats also provide natural rodent control.

 

You don't need to be a "cat lover" to support TNR. You just need to share the goal of fewer cats on our streets.

Benefits of spaying/neutering and vaccinating the unowned cat population:

• Stops breeding and prevents unwanted litters of kittens
• Saves taxpayer dollars by keeping cats out of animal shelters
• Helps improve the health and quality of life of outdoor cats
• Reduces nuisance behaviors like spraying, fighting, yowling, and roaming

Trap-Neuter-Return is the only humane, effective way to stabilize and reduce unowned cat populations. Built on science and real-world experience, it is sound public policy.

Westchester residents, please sign this petition to show your support for a free Trap-Neuter-Return program in Westchester County.

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I support the County of Westchester establishing and funding a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) program that focuses on humanely reducing the number of community cats living on our streets.