HSUS Position Statement: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
The
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) believes that feral cat
overpopulation is a community-generated problem and that every
community has a responsibility to work toward a solution. The HSUS is
concerned about feral cat populations, the welfare of individual cats,
and the welfare of wild animals.
Feral
cats are unsocialized cats who may be one or more generations removed
from a home environment and may live in a group, or colony, of similar
cats. These cats and their offspring are victims of abandonment,
accidental loss, and failure by owners to sterilize their pets.
The
HSUS advocates community-based Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs with
on-going responsible management as the most viable, long-term approach
available at this time to reduce feral cat populations. Responsible
management of existing feral cat colonies should include: humane
trapping, sterilization, rabies vaccination, and treatment for illness
or injury; removal of kittens and friendly adults for possible
placement in homes; euthanasia of animals whose suffering cannot be
alleviated; ear-tipping and returning ferals to the same location where
they were trapped provided they would not face imminent risks; and
providing lifelong care consisting of adequate food, water, and shelter
as well as regular monitoring of the colony for sickness, injury, and
the arrival of new animals. The goal of any feral cat management
program should be to maximize quality of life for the cats and to
eliminate the existing colony over time through attrition.
For
a TNR program to be successful, cooperation among many members of the
community is essential. No one person or agency should be expected to
devote all the resources needed or shoulder the responsibility alone.
Instead, organizations and individuals can offer their services to
achieve a comprehensive goal, while still working within the scope of
their mission and capability. A single program, such as subsidized
sterilization, is an excellent step forward, but cannot effect change
without other supportive pieces in place, such as public education and
outreach, adoption resources, dedicated colony caretakers, and
cooperation among the various interest groups. A working coalition, in
which each member respects the others' contributions and limitations,
and where there is productive and open communication, is a formula for
success. While The HSUS strongly recommends that each community works
toward the goal of non-lethal management, we realize that euthanasia
may be considered as an interim solution where TNR cannot be
implemented.
Inherent
in all decisions about whether to maintain a particular colony is the
potential negative impact on local wildlife. The HSUS values the lives
of individual wild animals, no matter their species status. The goal of
any TNR program should be to lessen the impact on wildlife by reducing
the number of feral cats and eventually eliminating their presence from
the environment. The location of colonies is an extremely important
issue, and reinforces the need for a community-based approach to ensure
that colonies are managed so that impacts on wildlife are minimized.
The
HSUS recognizes that there are real challenges to reducing the numbers
of feral cats currently living on the streets of this country, and this
statement is meant to encourage all members of the
community—citizens, veterinarians, animal shelters, wildlife
advocates, policy makers, public health departments,
businesses—to work together towards a goal of non-lethal
approaches to feral cat management. Resources are available on our
website at www.hsus.org/feralcats.
Download the HSUS Position Statement: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
