Courtesy Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society
Heavy Petting, March 8: “Here, Kitty, Kitty”
Independents rule
Well Jack, let’s unpack some facts for truth.
1) It all starts with owner responsibility. Spay, neuter, vaccines, microchipping and keeping your cat indoors or indoor/outdoor in an enclosed space.
2) The defunding of the GATOS program left independent rescue with the responsibility of doing [Trap Neuter Release] on their own and out of pocket.
3) Yes, nature abhors a vacuum. Established feral colonies tend to stay in place. If removed, other friendly strays and ferals will move into the area, thus starting the cycle for TNR all over again.
4) No, neither the SFAS or small shop independent rescues can take on the numbers of feral cats waiting for that “perfect” barn placement.
5) The “research” and designation of cats as “wild animals” is a human conscript, designed to defer responsibility away from where it belongs; taking care of your companion animal.
Lastly, it has been my experience that facility shelters view independent rescue as competition for resources. Our view is that independent rescues are the sluice gates to the dam, without which the dam would burst. For every iteration of a new director we hold our breath to see if “this one” will work with “us”. Still waiting to exhale.
Donna Leshne, Dew Paws Rescue
It’s on private citizens
Many municipalities provide the [Trap Neuter Release] service. Not us. Our city won’t even provide the low cost fee to neuter/spay the cats caught by private citizens and rescue groups. The cats are trapped, transported to surgery, given after care for one to three days and returned for release by private citizens. We can’t make a dent but do it anyway.
Susan Hill, Santa Fe
