Managing free-roaming cats in U.S. cities: An object lesson in public policy and citizen action

Abstract

Citizens expect local elected and appointed officials to make, implement, and evaluate public policy. In recent years, citizen efforts to increase the number of companion animals leaving U.S. animal shelters alive have received considerable attention from animal welfare advocates, the mainstream media, and policymakers. Among the greatest challenges for urban shelters, where the most unowned, free-roaming cats are found, is how best to manage “community” cats. Three policy options have been identified: eradication, impoundment followed by lethal injection of cats not adopted (sometimes referred to as “trap-and-kill”), and trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR). Since governments at the state and local level are directly involved in any policy or decision-making strategy to manage community cats, public opinion and taxpayer-funded initiatives are important factors in policy making, especially in light of the recent push for “no-kill” animal shelters (i.e., where live outcomes are provided for 90% or more of the animals entering a facility).

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