Animal Care Expo 2016 Targeted TNR: Making an Impact Bryan Kortis bryan@neighborhoodcats.org
Community TNR Print version www.amazon.com (search for Kortis ) Pdf file email bryan@neighborhoodcats.org for a copy 2
The mission Reduce the free-roaming cat population Provide humane care for existing cats New! Lower euthanasia at shelters with Return to Field 3
Accomplishing the mission leads to: Lower intake & euthanasia Fewer nuisance complaints Rabies vaccinations Less predation Improved animal welfare 4
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 5
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 6
What is targeting? Concentrating limited resources in a geographic area of high need in order to maximize impact. (1) Concentration (2) Limited resources (3) Geographic (4) High need (5) Maximum impact 7 7
Geographic targeting: policing Operation Impact (NY City) assign extra officers to high crime areas 8 8
Geographic targeting: policing 9 9
Poverty alleviation Allocation of resources to low income communities social workers, outreach, food banks New York City 2011 10 10
Public health AIDS & HIV cases medical workers, clinics, outreach New York City 2010 11 11
Wildlife conservation Elephant range in Myanamar land preservation, officers, outreach 12 12
Demographic targeting www.rawvoice.com 13 13
Target is geographically defined YES NO Downtown district Elderly caretakers 14
Targeting: colony level TNR 15 15
Targeting: colony level TNR 2 of 10 cats neutered Low colony sterilization rate No impact on growth of colony 16 16
Targeting: colony level TNR 100% Sterilization Zero reproduction Colony size decline over time 17 17
Feralville 100 cats 20 s/n s 18 18
No targeting Low colony sterilization rates 19 19
Colony level targeting High sterilization rates in targeted colonies 20 20
Community level targeting High sterilization rates in targeted colonies + Negate the vacuum effect 21 21
The vacuum effect 22
All 10 cats removed 23
Problem? 24
Ralph s is surrounded by intact colonies 25
Adam & Eve show up, attracted by the food 26
Colony size grows back to 10 27
TNR instead of removal 28
10 sterilized cats no reproduction 29
Later 5 cats remain with food for 10 30
The neighborhood 31
New intact cats arrive, attracted by excess food 32
Community level targeting: prevent vacuum effect 33
Identifying the Target Area Reality = uneven distribution among zip codes 34 34
Identifying the Target Area Where is the hot spot? Intake into local shelters broken down by location of origin Complaint calls/requests for assistance by location. Tribal knowledge (experience of local animal welfare groups, animal control, shelters) 35 35
Microsoft MapPoint Vineland, NJ 1,015 cat intakes in 2012 Thanks to Donna Beron! MapPoint: www.techsoup.org 36 36
Poverty & cat populations Boston, MA Patronek, G., Mapping and measuring disparities in welfare for cats across neighborhoods in a large US city (2010) American Journal of Veterinary Research 71(2):161-8. 37 37
How many cats are there? No accurate formula As much art as science 38 38
Calculating # of free-roaming cats (1) Start = divide human population by 15 Based on research data counting number of free-roaming cats fed on a daily basis (2) Adjust according to ground space More rural means more cats per capita (= lower divider) More urban means fewer cats per capita (= higher divider) (3) Adjust according to climate Warmer climate means more cats per capita Colder climate means fewer cats per capita (4) Adjust according to tribal knowledge Based on local experience, past TNR activity and expertise, does the number make sense? If not, what does? 39 39
Calculating # of spay/neuter surgeries For high impact, need to alter a substantial percentage of the cats. Aim for 50% or above of estimated population Proceed a colony at a time, as close to 100% as possible of each colony Be open to adjusting your figures as the project unfolds 40 40
Not enough surgeries for high impact? 41 41
Adjust Target Area 42 42
Outreach: finding cats & caretakers General media (least effective): Mass advertising (announcements, newspaper articles, social media posts) Targeted media (more effective): Advertising within Target Area (billboards, mailings, yard signs, door hangers); hotline In person (most effective): Boots on the ground (door-to-door, community meetings, in-person flyering, vaccine or wellness clinics, caretaker referrals) Food, shelter giveaways 43
Gathering intelligence 1. Who s feeding? 2. When and where is the feeding? 3. How many cats? 4. Colony history (how did the colony start? How long ago?) One caretaker can lead you to another Pet cat owners or other residents can lead you to caretakers/feeders 44
Know your audience Income level? Ethnicity? Language? Culture? Commercial or residential? What is their attitude towards the cats? Hostile? Protective? Mixed? What is their relationship to the cats? Pets? Community? Working cats? Strays? 45
Know your audience What are prevailing attitudes towards spay/neuter? What is the history with animal control with respect to the cats? (trapping and lethal control, cooperative, fear of government agencies?) Who are the community leaders? (Community boards, neighborhood, tenant or homeowner associations, churches, councilman, chamber of commerce?) 46
Pets for Life: Community Outreach Toolkit How to connect animal welfare resources to pet owners in underserved communities Building trust & maintaining a presence Includes chapter on freeroaming cats & TNR Free pdf file download or purchase print copy: www.animalsheltering.org 47
Trapping NO: rely solely on residents and caretakers in target area YES: Identify staff, experienced volunteers and/or partner TNR groups to lead the trapping, with support from local residents and caretakers 48 48
Tracking impact To know whether the goal of reducing the population is being achieved To guide what to do if you start running out of cats (increase outreach OR expand the target area?) To rebut TNR skeptics/opponents Expo workshop: Smart TNR Tracking Success to Achieve Key Goals (Thurs. 9:00 am) 49 49
Metrics Direct outcomes: Census of cats (before/after counts) Indirect outcomes: Intake (cat, kitten, stray) Complaint calls and/or requests for assistance 2000 1500 1000 500 Intake Euthanasia Euthanasia Kitten postings on Craig s List 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 Haywood County, NC (cats) 50 50
Case study: HS of Tampa Bay July 1, 2010 Sept. 1, 2012 Target Area: - ZIP code 33612 (Tampa, FL) - pop. 44,600-2 nd highest cat intake ZIP to county shelter 2,920 free-roaming cats spayed or neutered 51
Methods Full-time paid trapper supported by volunteers Block-by-block approach Wrapped vehicle Yard signs 52
Cat intake (Hillsborough Co. Animal Services) 800 18000 700 16000 600 14000 500 400 300 200 100 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Zip 33612: -47% (cf. 2013 to 2009) Outside zip 33612: -17% (cf. 2013 to 2009) 53
Case study: Humphreys County HS Partner organization with Waverly Animal Shelter 580 s/n s May 2013 thru July 2014 Target Area: Humphreys County, TN (pop. 18,500) TNR introduced to replace euthanasia as standard policy for feral cats; ½ cats trapped by ACOs, rest by residents 54 54
Waverly Animal Shelter 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0-34% -51% 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 Intake Euthanasia 55 55
Questions?