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This issue is being discussed so hotly that even the softest “cat people” turn into growling, hissing opponents: trap-castrate-release (TNR)… The topic becomes even more heated: “no killsExtremists are pressuring animal shelters and government officials to support TNR in an attempt to inflate their “stored” statistics. But are the cats left by themselves on the street saved?
Statistics suggest otherwise.
The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 1 to 5 years, compared to 12 to 20 years for an indoor cat. So when people let cats go, they don’t do them favors. Some fear that animals sent to shelters may be euthanized, but the very definition euthanasia this is a “good death”. On the streets, the death of cats is inevitable badfilled with pain and suffering. They die slowly from untreated disease, injury, infection, dehydration, or infection. They are hit by cars, attacked by predators (including violent people), poisoned, shot or other terrible fate awaits.
Here are just a few recent examples:
- A cat in Hampton, Virginia, who was allowed to walk unattended outdoors, was found badly injured. steel jaw trap pinched her leg. In Roanoke, Virginia, dehydrated, flea infested homeless kitten was found with a hind leg “hanging by a small piece of skin” and had to be amputated.
- The “open cat” was shot by a manin Connecticut, who said he was “annoyed” that an animal was in his backyard. For at least eight months 10 cats were shot in Loudon County, Virginia, five of whom died.
- Two years after being caught, sterilized and released, cat in Pennsylvania was found bleeding and on the brink of death – suffering from malnutrition, infection, parasite infestation, sinus infection and the deadly feline immunodeficiency virus. In Idaho another TNR’d cat was found sitting in the parking lot with his leg almost severed and “hanging by his hair.”
- Cat in nebraska frozen to death, although the animal had a “shelter”. Another cat in the area was found barely alive under a car. Despite treatment, the animal later died of frostbite and burns.
What’s more, not all TNR cats have gone wild – many are quite tamed. Such cats are not only acceptable, they can also be someone’s lost companion. Abstaining from sheltering these animals means they lose their best chance of being returned by their guardians, who may desperately seek them out, or find another safe, loving home.
In addition to the risks of letting cats take care of themselves, there are also the dangers that cats themselves pose to wildlife, whose well-being should be taken into account by everyone who calls himself “animal lover”. Cats are the main cause of death of birds associated with humans, kills 3.7 billion birds annually in the United States.… Even “wild” ones (which are genetically identical to “domestic cats”) are pets – they do not live anywhere and therefore are aggressive everywhere. In fact, cats are considered deadliest invasive species in the worldresponsible or partially responsible for the extinction of more than 60 species.
As “subsidized predators” (ie, predators fed by humans), cats can far exceed the carrying capacity of their habitat, making them even more deadly than native predators. Feeding does not prevent them from hunting, which is tacitly acknowledged by those promoting the release of cats as “mousetraps” (downplaying the fact that cats also hunt, maim, terrorize and kill birds and other animals).
And then there’s the uncomfortable truth that TNR doesn’t even work. On the contrary, it really encourages More people abandon their cats because they think they will be taken care of. Food intended for “managed” colonies also attracts more cats (as well as wildlife, including species of rabies vectors). Many cat food distributors know that new cats (as well as possums, foxes, raccoons, and even rats) often show up with meals.
The bottom line is what TNR does people– not cats and even more so wild animals – feel better. Veterinarian and syndicated animal councilor Dr. Michael Fox is not shy about throwing cats that are deemed “unacceptable” and calls TNR a “disease” for the animal shelter community. “It’s time to rethink the ‘no-kill’ policy that drives these dire consequences for cats and wildlife, and it’s time to work on responsible solutions,” he says.
Instead of giving up cats, we must address the problem of cat homelessness at its root by requiring all cats to be sterilized or castrated, vaccinated, licensed, microchipped and stored indoors… If your local shelter is considering adopting a policy of not accepting cats or leaving them outdoors so as not to include them in your annual admission and outcome statistics, remind the shelter staff that animal welfare and safety should be their top priority – don’t be fooled. -good statistics.
The message “TNR or not TNR is the question” first appeared on PETA.
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