Trap-Neuter-Return celebrates one year
By Samantha Whitesides
The first of May will mark the one year anniversary of the Humane Society’s TNR or Trap-Neuter-Return program that has successfully evolved with the help of lots of people. Vets, volunteers, fosters, professionals, residents, neighbors, town officials — a web of lives that have played their role in this important step fixing what has become an overwhelming concern for us all.
Education and word of mouth are finally paying off. The support of all who have contributed to our efforts is greatly appreciated and have made all the difference to us and to the community. Each month that passes, each dollar that is donated and each person that is taking the time to work with us — they all provide the valuable lessons that make it possible to move forward. But somehow, this is still not enough and this is only the beginning. It will take time and the program must continue to grow and expand in order to reveal true progress.
This time of year is a hard one — kittens are being born and homeless animals continue to surface. When one visits the site of a feral colony there is an odd sensation. Some of the cats know you are there well before you get close. Others scatter as you arrive and yet others sit stationary and observe from a distance. Youngsters of all ages may be found running around — some mimicking their parent’s shy behavior…which brings me back to the kittens. If the area is quiet and you are still for a moment, you will hear the faint, tiny mews that seem to come from all sides. It’s often hard to pinpoint their exact location. It is then that you know that many new lives have begun and the cycle of overpopulation has continued.
With the help of the Humane Society, 105 cats have been spayed or neutered through TNR so far this year. Several participants in the program have expressed their appreciation and have enjoyed their involvement. They have all reported back how “changed” their cats now are — much calmer, noticeably healthier and what a relief it is to finally have things under control. No more dying or suffering kittens being born over and over. No more spraying, yowling or fighting. All that was needed on our end was a quick, one-time intervention that paved the way for a long term, permanent solution.
In months to come, my plan is to communicate the new experiences of the people we work with, the problems they encounter, observations of cats in our community and the highlights of a stable TNR practice. What works, what doesn’t, what the people are like, what the cats are like and so forth. For now, know that compassion is alive and well in our town — and no matter what badness exists or abuse that is inflicted outside of our knowledge or control — it cannot continue as long as we stick together and commit to this cause.
Compassion is known to be contagious. No matter what your background or beliefs may be about our purpose, one cannot ignore the importance of responding to the needs of others. And, a program like TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) seems to have a positive and strengthening effect on the people, as well as the cats that benefit from their responsible efforts. It simply feels good to work together and when that happens, many things are accomplished.
Contact Samantha Whitesides for more information at (540) 727-0004 or via email at bugnote@aol.com