Wild Blue Receives Funding from Best Friends Animal Society to Support T-N-R Operation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - March 18, 2013 - PRLog -- Wild Blue Animal Rescue and Sanctuary recently received a $4,000 grant from the Best Friends Animal Society (www.bestfriends.org) to lead a
6-month Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) coalition project called ‘The Fix Is On!' that will focus on spaying and neutering 200 feral cats outside Colorado Springs city limits.

The operation will primarily focus on the 80908, 80911, 80915, 80917, 80926 and 80831 zip codes.

The term feral (or wild) cat simply means that the cat is living in an outdoor colony (group) with multiple other cats and very little human interaction. Some people refer to them as alley cats. “Feral cats are a man-made problem,” said Lauri Cross, Executive Director of Wild Blue. “The problem begins with irresponsible cat guardians who for one reason or the other dump their intact pet cats outside to roam around breeding and creating more cats.

Several times a year; Wild Blue, which is based in the Black Forest area, operates their own TNR operations under the name of Frontier Ferals. During the operations, feral cats are humanely trapped, neutered or spayed, vaccinated, ear-tipped and returned to their colony to continue living best they can. The cycle of reproduction is stopped and the cat populations eventually stabilize, and then decline as the cats’ age. Colorado Springs-area statistics from 2011 and 2012 show a correlation between increases in TNR programs and a decrease in the number of cats taken into a shelter.  

Other animal rescues/shelters taking part in this coalition project include; Happy Cats Haven (HCH) and Look What the Cat Brought In (LWTCBI) based in Colorado Springs. Each of these entities operates their own TNR programs as well. The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) will assist with the project by providing low cost spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations. The name of HSPPR’s program is the ‘Community Cats Program’ and their free surgeries are limited to cats trapped inside city limits; HCH’s program is called ‘Colorado Street Cats Project’ and LWTCBI calls theirs ‘Stop Littering Now!’.

Wild Blue and HCH are also members of the Best Friends Animals Society’s "No More Homeless Pets Network Partners”. Their membership in this network led to the financial assistance from Best Friends, which was matched by board members, staff, volunteers and other supporters of the operation, including St. Paws Thrift Stores. A total of $8000 is now available to help feral cats and their colony managers outside city limits.

Each coalition member, including Wild Blue, has Feral Colony Managers whose purpose is to care for the feral cat population in their communities,” explained Cross. “The volunteers regularly provide food and water for the cats, as well as outdoor shelters, which results in less cats roaming around into nearby yards and nuisance complaints about the cats’ activities.”

According to Alley Cat Allies, a national-level nonprofit formed to support feral cat colony management; a female cat can produce 3 or more litters of kittens per year resulting in literally thousands of kittens during her lifetime.  “But the important thing to note is that TNR does work,” said Cross. “The program ultimately benefits the cats and the community. TNR improves their lives and is the humane, effective approach for feral cats.”

In August of 2009, HSPPR in Colorado Springs established a TNR program within City limits to address the community cat challenge. Since then, HSPPR has completed more than 3,000 sterilizations, decreasing community cat reproduction and stray cat intakes at the shelter.

“I have been a part of the program for over a year and it’s been exciting to see the impact over the years,” said HSPPR’s TNR Coordinator Angie Davis. “By collaborating with other animal welfare groups, we’ll be able to make even bigger strides in controlling cat overpopulation. That’s what we’re here to do.”  

The HSPPR takes on a major role for another collaborative TNR project called “Catch Us If You Can” which is held in October of each year. More information can be found on their website at www.hsppr.org/tnr.

The coalition is looking for support from local veterinary hospitals and clinics to provide low cost surgeries for this project.  Veterinarians must be willing to provide a minimum standard of care, as defined by the Board of Directors of Wild Blue, and sign a statement to that effect. “While these cats are not house pets,” says Cross, “they are special creatures who deserve to be treated humanely by our community, and given a decent quality of care.”  

Please contact Wild Blue if you are willing to assist by emailing to lauri@wbars.org or calling (719) 964-8905.

Coalition Members and Contact Information:
Wild Blue Animal Rescue and Sanctuary – Lauri Cross  (719) 964-8905
Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region – Angie Davis  (719) 302-8786
Happy Cats Haven – Allison DuVal  (719) 635-5000
Look What The Cat Brought In – Jennifer Nosler  (719) 331-6852

For information about this news release contact Perini & Associates at 719.651.5943 or email customerservice@ periniassociates.com. Learn more about Perini & Associates at: http://www.periniassociates.com.