The resolution would allow enforcement of local municipal ordinances
The Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders voted unanimously to adopt a resolution at their meeting on July 26 that would encourage municipal bodies to consider adoption on non-lethal trap-neuter-return policies as a humane method of controlling feral cat populations in Gloucester County.
TNR is a program where cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies and returned to the exact location at which they were trapped. A cat may receive a microchip as part of a TNR program.
“Most feral cats brought to the shelter are not adoptable as companion animals,” said Freeholder Dan Christy, liaison to the Gloucester County Animal Shelter. “TNR would potentially help reduce the number of feral cats by continually reducing the population through neutering.
According to Christy, the goal is to reduce the number of feral cats that come into the shelter and to promote adoptions of cats who are domestic.
“We have really been aggressive in promotions to help increase adoptions and we have worked very closely with rescue organization to help adopt cats,” Christy said. “Summer and spring time are the seasons where our numbers really get out of control and the idea behind TNR would help reduce the number of feral cats brought into the shelter.”
The trap-neuter-return resolution adopted in the county would allow enforcement of local municipal ordinances. If a municipality were to adopt a TNR location in their town, then the county would enforce their TNR ordinance as written.
