Overview

In the 1980s and for much of the 1990s, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) was considered the radical, poor cousin of the animal welfare movement. Today, the landscape is much improved; TNR is increasingly embraced as an essential component of any effort aimed at reducing cat overpopulation. Funding from foundations and municipalities is growing, feral cat non-profits are springing up everywhere and the largest humane organizations in the country, including The Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA®, are firmly in favor of TNR.

This TNR “toolkit” is designed as a one-stop resource for anyone interested in developing a comprehensive TNR program or improving the efficiency of an existing program. The ideas and examples provided in this toolkit are based on the author’s expertise but are not necessarily a replacement for your own research.

Topics

1. Community Collaboration
   The first step in building a program is to secure acceptance of TNR on a municipal and private level. The issue of free-roaming cats touch many municipal concerns such as animal control and public health. This section offers insight on how to approach policymakers. These same lessons also apply to gathering the support of private interests such as shelter officials, veterinarians and wildlife
   advocates.
2. Building Spay/Neuter Capacity
   In order to have impact, a TNR program must alter a substantial number of the free-roaming cats. This target number will dictate the spay-neuter needs of the program—a few hundred cats can be managed with private veterinarians whereas a higher target may require a dedicated clinic. This section reviews different models for spay-neuter and resources for recruiting private veterinarians.
3. TNR Strategies
   With the demands placed on TNR programs, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and not maximize time and resources. Therefore, strategic planning is crucial to the success of any TNR program. This section outlines the strategic decisions of using expert vs. volunteer trappers and how big of a geographic area should be targeted.
4. Caretaker Training Workshops
   Proper training of volunteers is key to the ongoing care of the cats and the longevity of any program. This section contains comprehensive resources for the training of caretakers and trappers.
5. TNR Funding
   Feral cat overpopulation is a problem that develops over many years and quick fixes are rarely possible. Instead, a dedicated and sustained TNR effort is required to maintain progress and therefore consistent and adequate funding is essential. This section outlines ways to raise funds and create reliable revenue streams.
6. Data Collection
   Often overlooked but nonetheless extremely important is data collection. Without gathering relevant information, a TNR program has no way to judge its own effectiveness. Data is also needed to show municipal leaders, animal welfare organizations and potential funders that the program is deserving of their support. What data to collect and tools for doing so are covered in this section.
7. Nuts and Bolts
   Once everything is in place, the business of trapping the cats and the day-to-day operations can get underway. A successful program will need the right equipment, paperwork, networks for connecting caretakers and outreach programs. Different resources available to you are discussed at length.
8. TNR Best Practices
   Learn from other established TNR programs on how to tackle common issues such as FIV/FeLV testing, vaccines, confining cats post-surgery and socialization and adoption of kittens.
9. TNR Case Studies
   This last section of the TNR toolkit takes a look at academic and empirical examples of successful community TNR programs. These examples may help persuade others in your community to support TNR as well as provide guidance for your own program.

About the Author

Bryan Kortis serves as executive director of Neighborhood Cats, a leading advocacy group for feral cats. He has authored and produced many of the leading educational materials in the feral cat field, including the guide, Implementing a Community Trap-Neuter-Return Program and The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook. He is a frequent presenter on free-roaming cat issues at conferences and has helped launch successful community TNR programs in New York City and other communities around the country.