Randolph, Iowa cats safe
City's mayor, community working with Best Friends-led coalition of animal welfare groups to manage feral cats
Kanab, UT (March 21, 2008) The 50 or so homeless cats in Randolph, Iowa, have a positive future, thanks to the collaboration between that city, national humane organization Best Friends Animal Society and a host of local animal welfare groups that have banded together to help the cats and the community.
People in this tiny town were concerned about the risk of disease as well as the fact that the free-roaming cats were competing with pets for food, and in some instances, attacking family pets. Mayor Vance Trively became concerned because of threats to poison or shoot the cats and wanted to find a humane solution for the cats that addressed the communitys concerns as well.
Animal welfare groups got involved after hearing about a: five dollars bounty for every live cat brought in a trap. The groups explained to the mayor how trapping the cats, altering and vaccinating them, and returning the cats to their territory where they are fed and watched over by volunteers (known as TNR, trap-neuter-return) will stop the breeding and keep the cats from competing with pets for food. Mayor Trively gladly embraced this solution and is actively involved in implementing the plan.
The plan calls for about 100 cats, both homeless as well family cats, to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and medically treated. The family cats also will be microchipped. There are about a dozen cats in the downtown region who had become a nuisance; these cats will be relocated to a safe location outside town limits. And any of the homeless cats who are friendly will be taken to animal shelters and rescues in other towns for adoption and foster care.
In addition to Best Friends, the other organizations involved in devising the plan are the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, Feline Friendz, Hearts United for Animals, Alley Cat Allies and Animal Protection and Education. Petco is donating a six-month supply of food for the cats. Local Fremont County Vet Clinic has offered reduced cost on spay/neuter, vaccination and microchipping services. Alley Cat Allies has offered education materials to help inform the community about TNR.
Mayor Trively said, "I have collaborated with Best Friends and the city council to resolve this situation. What made the difference was the face-to-face meeting with the Best Friends and Raccoon Valley representatives. They presented a detailed plan that made sense for this town. The decision was a no-brainer. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with the local (animal welfare) groups."
"This is a win-win-win solution," said Julie Castle, director of community programs and services for Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society. "The community is getting a humane solution to this issue, the cats get to live, and the animal welfare groups are showing that when they come together they come up with solutions that fit the particular community issues and help animals."
"We have offered the mayor a solution he can live with, that the cats can live with," said John Pundzak, president of Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue. "We are proud to partner with Best Friends."
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society operates the country's largest sanctuary for homeless animals and on any given day is home to approximately 2,000 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals. Best Friends works globally with animal shelters and rescue groups to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends advances initiatives nationwide that promote community approaches to make the world a better place through kindness to animals, including adoption, spay-neuter, and humane education programs.
