PURR-fecting the Impact of TNR: Creating a community cat program that works. Bethany Heins City of San Antonio Animal Care Services

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1 PURR-fecting the Impact of TNR: Creating a community cat program that works Bethany Heins City of San Antonio Animal Care Services

2 Your Presenter Bethany Heins Live Release Manager, City of San Antonio Animal Care Services

3 San Antonio Historically Catching and killing community cats Killing cats/kittens from large scale impoundments Killing cats/kittens with treatable illnesses Killing healthy cats with behavioral obstacles Killing adoptable cats/kittens for space Providing true euthanasia to cats/kittens with unmanageable, untreatable illnesses

4 So where did it get us? No impact on population of free-roaming cats in San Antonio No reduction in calls-for-service regarding cats No reduction in feline intake into the shelter Poor public perception of the shelter

5 Time for Change In early 2012, San Antonio was selected to be a part of a pilot community cat project with Best Friends Animal Society and PetSmart Charities that combined the traditional feral freedom SNR model with targeted field TNR

6 2012 San Antonio Community Cat Program

7 The Grant Specs. 1. TNR goal of 3,500 by March 31, Reduce cat euthanasia by 25% by March 31, Reduce cat intake by 10% by March 31, Increase Live Release Rate by 30% by March 31, Majority of cats in each identified colony will be spayed/neutered by March 31 st, 2015

8 Baseline/Program Targets Baseline Program Target Cats Euthanized 4,131 3,235 Cats Impounded 6,716 5,741 Feline Live Release Rate 35% * *only includes actual live outcomes; does not include died in care, DOA, lost in care, or missing 46%

9 Ready, Set, Go!!

10 Train the Shelter Partner Sent key ACS Personnel to Jacksonville, FL Gave crash course in TNR basics

11 Establish Partnerships with Find other TNR groups in your area Local Rescues Find indoor placement partners

12 Identify Spay/Neuter Surgery capacity Proximity to service area Partners Ability to accommodate community cat surgeries (drop-off times, pre-op and recovery area, staff handling skills) Price and Package Establish written MOU

13 Staffing and Volunteers Individual to handle phone and traffic Individual to oversee trap loans and inventory Data person Trappers and Releasers

14 Secure Program Supplies

15 Track Colony Data!! Best Friends Database Colony location Size Sterilized cats Intact cats Attrition Caretaker information Complainant information Known threats

16 Track Shelter Data! Know your baseline Budget changes Staffing changes Track changes in intake euthanasia SNR indoor live placement

17 Jump In!

18 Once your foot is in the door Get noticed! Build relationship with key staff at the leadership and front-line level. Explain program outline, focusing on benefits to shelter and employees. Allow staff to voice concerns and provide honest, fair answers.

19 Initial Concerns Who is going to pay for this?! We don t have the budget to do additional surgeries What about citizens who have filed nuisance affidavits? Staff safety But wait we have always euthanized feral cats

20 Changing the Climate Education - staff training and acceptance Results speak volumes Intake policy ACS taking on non-best Friends zip codes

21 SNR Flow Enters Shelter Evaluated for SNR program Moved to clinic for s/n surgery Recovers in clinic or recovery area Released

22 Indicator Cats Cats from SNR portion of the program act as indicators to where the un-managed colonies are causing enough nuisance to cause impoundment into the shelter Once a cat is pulled from the shelter for SNR, sterilized, and recovers the cat is returned to the location where originally impounded At that point the releaser surveys to see if a colony is present and create a management plan specific to that colony

23 Who let the dogs out? Feline TNR in a free-roaming canine rich environment Three main types Population Dynamics how do colonies respond to free-roaming dogs Incorporate into release guidelines

24 The Social Cat Dilemma Do we release social cats? Do we release kittens? Do we release cats previously sterilized? Do we release previously owned cats? Do we do the same thing all year long? Day 0 Day 3 Day 7+ Fractious Healthy Adult Intact Social Adult Ear-tipped Sterilized Healthy Adult Fractious Healthy Kitten, Intact Owner surrender Large-scale Impoundment Post-treatment

25 Voucher & Trap Loans Trapper contact information Colony location and size Trapped cat s information S/N clinic information Surgery type and date

26 Trapping Priority Use your field trappers to cover any area inside target Use you paid trapper to focus on highest priority area Save time for clean up

27 How to save unsocial, Large- scale impoundments Aggressive owner surrenders Strays with unsafe (non-existent) release location non-snr cats

28 The Resource Bubble Neonatal Program Surrogate Program Treating: URI, sarcopes, ringworm, HBC Performing: enucleations, amputations, hernia repairs Shift in attitude impacting canine programs

29 The Results

30 A207946

31 July felines entered ACS 160 were under 4 weeks 28 came from an indoor hoarding situation 259 came in needing treatment for conditions such as URI, sarcopes, ringworm, wound care, broken limbs

32 95.27%

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