RAISING THE BAR: BRINGINGTNR PROGRAMS FROM ZERO TO HERO Stacy LeBaron Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society Karen Little Alley Cat Advocates animalsheltering.org/expo #AnimalCareExpo
HSUS Animal Care Expo 2016 Thank you!!! HSUS Staff Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Protection and Policy Danielle Bays, Community Cat Program Manager Shout Out to.. TNR Guru Bryan Kortis, Neighborhood Cats
Today s Presentation Zero to Hero Alley Cat Advocates Story Zero to Hero Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society s Story Worksheet Scenarios Resources
Alley Cat Advocates Presentation Outline Introduction 4 Essential Ingredients 6 Awesome Programs Ultimate Result Resources
Karen Little Executive Director Alley Cat Advocates (502) 634-8777 x8 Karen.little@alleycatadvocates.org
Introduction to Alley Cat Advocates In the beginning Louisville State of animal welfare Our group
Introduction to Alley Cat Advocates In the beginning Louisville State of animal welfare Our group Our goal Making Louisville the safest city in the country to be a community cat.
Introduction to Alley Cat Advocates In the beginning Louisville State of animal welfare Our group Our goal Making Louisville the safest city in the country to be a community cat. Our progress
A Culture of Caring
4 Essential Ingredients
4Essential Ingredients Grassroots Support Targeted Support Shelter Support Government Support
#1 Grassroots Support Scattered Satisfies immediate, short term needs Direct contact with caretakers key
#2 Targeted Support Targeted Satisfies immediate and strategic long term needs Impact on caretakers plus other stakeholders
100 cats 20 s/n s Feralville
Feralville Low colony sterilization rates No targeting
Feralville Colony level targeting High sterilization rates in targeted colonies
Feralville Community level targeting High sterilization rates in targeted colonies + Negate the vacuum effect
#2 Targeted Support, cont. Choosing the geographic area Data collection Impact on stakeholders
#3 Shelter Support Shelter Director Shelter Staff Respect, support, trust
#4 Government Support Ordinance goals and impact Financial support
4Essential Ingredients Grassroots Support Targeted Support Shelter Support Government Support
6 Awesome Programs
6Awesome Programs BIG FIX and Quick Fix Medical Care Program Animal Control Ride- Alongs Animal Control Colony Alerts Working Cat Program Shelter Neuter Return
#1 BIG FIX and Quick Fix Getting it done
#2 Medical Care Program Sick and injured Through Big Fix/Quick Fix All strays at Shelter
#3 Animal Control Ride-Alongs Community support Respect for both agencies Conflict resolution Trapping Partnership
#4 Animal Control Colony Alerts Onsite visits Conflict resolution Deterrents, etc.
#5 Working Cat Program Shelter cats, only Relocation
#6 Shelter Neuter Return Operation City Kitty Return To Field Stray/Confined Combining SNR with TNR key
6Awesome Programs BIG FIX and Quick Fix Medical Care Program Animal Control Ride- Alongs Animal Control Colony Alerts Working Cat Program Shelter Neuter Return
Ultimate Result of Community-Wide TNR?
Ultimate Result of Community-Wide TNR? A Culture of Caring
Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS) Presentation Outline About MRFRS? Case 1: Newburyport Reaching out to other organizations Case 2: Lowell Mentoring and why we focus on targeted
Stacy LeBaron Director of Mentoring Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society 978-239-2090 stacy@mrfrs.org
About MRFRS Volunteer Based Organization Founded in 1992 as a TNR program along Newburyport waterfront 300 free-roaming cats & kittens were vetted, fed and sheltered The last cat passed away in 2009 A successful, large scale TNR project
MRFRS Milestones 1996 Adopted out first Feline Leukemia+ cat 2000 Free s/n clinic for ferals 2003 First Cageless Shelter 2008 First Catmobile hits the road 2011 Merged with FARS & SCFAW 2012 Second Catmobile hits the road
MRFRS Mission The MRFRS is a nationally recognized, nonprofit, volunteerdriven organization committed to ensuring the health and welfare of feral and domestic cats and kittens by promoting proactive, compassionate, no-kill programs.
MRFRS Programs Adoption Program Feral TNR Program The Catmobiles Foster Program Sunday Spay/Neuter Clinics The Captain Courageous Fund FARS Program The Bridge Program Spay Mass Hotline Mentoring Program
MRFRS Successes OVER 105,000 SERVED! 20,000+ cats adopted 35,000+ feral cats s/n 50,000+ tame cats s/n A Kitten Free Zone
MRFRS Newburyport Case Study How we began How decisions were made in the beginning (the kitchen table) How policies and guidelines are made Service area No more cats, hard on the group
Why Targeted? Resource conversation at the board level early on and the need for business support in the community. Completion of a PetSmart Charities grant application for funding of a larger community
MRFRS Lowell Case Study 2008 Traditional Humane Society Low Cost spay/neuter clinic Grassroots TNR group Other partners From 2009-2014: A 61% drop in intakes of cats and kittens 100% TNR is very important why? Data collection; mapping Total trapped from 2009 to now
MRFRS Mentoring Program Started in 2009 Worked with 67 groups and more Focus on spay/neuter and target areas Capacity Building Current support by the Red Acre Foundation and past support by PetSmart Charities
Worksheet Scenario Large Sized Community Community Louisville Population: 740,000 Organization Alley Cat Advocates S/N capacity (annual): 4000 Free-roaming Cat Estimate: 8000 Population/20: 37,000 Reality: fewer than 37,000 Too big? Too small? Year 6 = Stabilization and 90% shelter LLR
Worksheet Scenario Medium Sized Community Community Lowell Population 108,000 Organization MRFRS S/N capacity: 1000 Free-roaming Cat Estimate: 3000 Population/20: 5400 Reality: fewer than 5400 One wants to have capacity to fund and complete over 50% of cats in your target area Too big? Too small? Year 3 = Stabilization
Worksheet Scenario Small Sized Community Community Newburyport Population 17,800 Organization MRFRS S/N capacity: 200 Free-roaming Cat Estimate: 400 Population/20: 890 Reality: fewer than 890 One wants to have capacity to fund and complete over 50% of cats in your target area Too big? Too small? Year 6 = Stabilization and 100% TNR
Worksheets 1) Targeted Free-Roaming Cat (FRC) Project 2) Budget for Targeted FRC Project
Guides and Resources HSUS, Managing Community Cats: A Guide for Municipal Leaders. Guides and Resources HSUS, Pets for Life: Community Outreach Toolkit Kortis, B., Community TNR: Tactics and Tools, PetSmart Charities 2014 Kortis, B., Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook: The Guide to Trap-Neuter-Return for the Feral Cat Caretaker (2nd ed.), Neighborhood Cats 2014
Thank You!
STACY LEBARON, DIRECTOR OF MENTORING (978) 239-2090 STACY@MRFRS.ORG KAREN LITTLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (502) 634-8777 x8 KAREN.LITTLE@ALLEYCATADVOCATES.ORG animalsheltering.org/expo #AnimalCareExpo