Animal Care Expo 2016 Return to Field Bryan Kortis bryan@neighborhoodcats.org
Tactics Community TNR Program Targeting Return to Field Grassroots Mobilization Intensive TNR in colonies & areas with high numbers of cats Spay/neuter & return healthy, unadoptable cats brought to shelters Provide public w/training, equipment, support & free or low-cost services Reduce cat population, intake & complaints Reduce euthanasia, promote culture change Build awareness, gradual population decline 2
Return to Field the process SHELTER 3
Feral Freedom! Conference on TNR by HSUS held in Jacksonville in 2007 First Coast No More Homeless Pets approached Jacksonville Animal Care & Protective Services about returning eartipped cats brought to the county shelter to their colonies Director offered to return all feral cats, eartipped or not FCNMHP received funding from Best Friends Animal Society Feral Freedom launched in August 2008 4 4
5 Jacksonville, FL 16000 14000 12000 Cat Intake Cat Euthanasia 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 5
Why not euthanasia? Lethal control is a failed approach to managing community cat populations numbers of cats, nuisance complaints, rabies risks & wildlife predation don t decline Intake and euthanasia rates don t go down High euthanasia rates = high stress, staff turnover, poor public relations, lower adoptions 6
Why does lethal control fail? Too many cats, too few animal control resources Caretaker resistance Vacuum effect Failure to capture all colony members The public disfavors euthanasia 7
Won t everyone freak out?! 8
National survey (2014) Question: What is your preference among these 3 options for managing community cats? a) Sterilize and vaccinate healthy stray cats, and return them to where they were captured (sometimes called trap-neuter-return) b) Impoundment by shelter staff, followed by lethal injection for any cats not adopted c) Do nothing/leave stray cats alone to fend for themselves Commissioned by Best Friends Animal Society 9
National survey (2014) Question: What is your preference among these 3 options for managing community cats? 68% 24% 8% a) Sterilize and vaccinate healthy stray cats, and return them to where they were captured (sometimes called trap-neuter-return) b) Impoundment by shelter staff, followed by lethal injection for any cats not adopted c) Do nothing/leave stray cats alone to fend for themselves 10
National survey (2007) Question: If you saw a stray cat in your community and could only choose between two courses of action leaving the cat where it is outside or having the cat caught and then put down which would you consider to be the more humane option for the cat? a) Leave the cat where it is b) Have the cat put down c) Don t know/refused to answer Harris Interactive, commissioned by Alley Cat Allies 11
National survey (2007) Question: If you saw a stray cat in your community and could only choose between two courses of action leaving the cat where it is outside or having the cat caught and then put down which would you consider to be the more humane option for the cat? 81% 14% 5% a) Leave the cat where it is b) Have the cat put down c) Don t know/refused to answer 12
National survey (2007) Question: If you knew that the stray cat you saw would die in two years because it would be hit by a car, which would you consider the most humane option today? a) Leave the cat where it is and let it live two years before dying b) Have the cat put down c) Don t know/refused to answer 13
National survey (2007) Question: If you knew that the stray cat you saw would die in two years because it would be hit by a car, which would you consider the most humane option today? 72% 21% 7% a) Leave the cat where it is and let it live two years before dying b) Have the cat put down c) Don t know/refused to answer 14
Survey of Ohio adults (2008) 43% of participants saw freeroaming cats in their neighborhoods on a daily or weekly basis 26% had fed free-roaming cats during the prior year Only 23% who fed free-roaming cats ever brought one to a veterinarian for any type of treatment Lord, L., Attitudes toward and perceptions of free-roaming cats among individuals living in Ohio (2008) Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 232, 1160-1167. 15
The choice Return to Field is aligned with the majority who favor live outcomes and are willing to leave community cats in the environment Euthanasia is aligned with the minority who complain about the cats and want them removed Which audience will the shelter serve? 16
Pets What we know: People let their cats roam outside Most cats are not microchipped or wearing identification Indoor cats escape and get lost Friendly but frightened cats may present as unadoptable RTO rates for cats at most shelters are very low (single digits) What we don t know: How many euthanized strays are really pets? How many cats would find their own way home if released back where they were captured? 17
RTF benefits Lower euthanasia Resources can be re-allocated from lethal control to life-saving programs Healthier shelter environment (cats are moved out quickly & less crowding) Public support (fundraising, adoptions) Avoids needless euthanasia of roaming pets Culture change inside and outside shelter 18
Common fears Fear: People will harm the cats. Fact: No program yet has reported an increase in abuse. Fear: People will complain to local officials. Fact: Some will. Policymakers must have your back. Fear: Cat owners won t get a chance to reclaim their pets. Fact: National reclaim average for cats is 2%. Likely better chance being returned to field. 19 19
RTF mechanics intake process Gather information from the person surrendering: Location of capture/pickup History Reason for surrender Person s attitude (Hostile or friendly? To what degree?) Open to spay/neuter & return? Other cats in the area? Discuss RTF? Sign release form authorizing RTF? 20 20
Evaluate cat s eligibility for RTF Assess: Body condition / weight / appearance Declawed? Age appropriate? Socialization level (assuming there s space for friendly adults) Risk of harm at original location based on information gathered at intake 21 21
Mechanics post-intake Move along quickly to the clinic - less time in the shelter, the better (re: stress, overcrowding) Maintain holding area separate from general population Can use partners for transport (to and from clinic, to release) and post-surgical recovery (24 to 48 hrs.) Use feral cat dens for transport 22 22
Stray holds Arizona SB 1260 (passed April 2015): Any impounded cat that is eligible for a sterilization program and that will be returned to the vicinity where the cat was originally captured may be exempted from the mandatory holding period required by this subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, "eligible" means a cat that is living outdoors, lacks discernible identification, is of sound health and possesses its claws. (Arizona Revised Statutes, sec. 11-1013(c).) Mandatory hold normally 72 hours 23
The release At a public location (sidewalk of quiet street, alleyway, park) Within two blocks of location of capture/pickup (for adults) Delay if imminent danger (dogs, angry residents) Stay in contact with shelter staff or animal control (optional) Door hangers in neighborhood 24 24
Suggested guidelines for kittens Less than 8 weeks: not eligible (unless neonates released with mother). 8 to 12 weeks: if a caretaker is identified and has agreed to the time and location of the release. 12 to 16 weeks: at or very near where they were seized or and identified colony site. Efforts should be made at the time of release to locate caretakers. More than 16 weeks: within a reasonable distance of their original location, similar to adults. 25 25
Stand-alone RTF (no other TNR efforts) 26 26
No population control 27 27
Community view of stand-alone RTF 28 28
Consequences No reduction in community cat population means: No reduction in complaints No improvement in public health (rabies) No reduction in predation Sustainability issues because the source of RTF cats remains unchanged in size Solution: Combine RTF and Targeted TNR 29 29
Step 1 - RTF 30 30
Step 2 colony-level targeting 31 31
Community view: RTF + colony level targeting 32 32
RTF + community level targeting 33 33
Albuquerque, NM Return to Field program Launched by Albuquerque Animal Welfare Dept. (municipal open admission shelter) in 2011 No targeting Community Cats Project Partnership of Best Friends Animal Society, PetSmart Charities & Albuquerque Animal Welfare Dept. Combined Return to Field with colony-level targeting Launched on April 1, 2012 Targeted TNR Collaboration of Animal Humane New Mexico & local TNR group (now Street Cat Hub) Community-level targeting of multiple zip codes. Begun in July, 2010 34
Albuquerque Animal Welfare Dept. 12,000 10,000 8,000 Cat Intake Cat Euthanasia RTF 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 35 35
Why have some stand-alone RTF programs seen intake drop? Volume trappers discouraged (ideological individuals & pest control companies) Individual residents who might have brought cats to the shelter in the past instead practice TNR Community s perception and tolerance of cats changes No replacement of removed cats 36
Questions? 37