TNR: Community Cat Advocacy 101

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Community Cat Advocacy 101 Becky Robinson, President and Founder, Alley Cat Allies Liz Holtz, Attorney, Alley Cat Allies Austin Pets Alive Conference February 22, 2014

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Presented at the American Pets Alive No-Kill Conference 2014.

Transcript of TNR: Community Cat Advocacy 101

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Community Cat Advocacy 101

Becky Robinson, President and Founder, Alley Cat Allies Liz Holtz, Attorney, Alley Cat Allies

Austin Pets Alive ConferenceFebruary 22, 2014

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ALLEY CAT ALLIES

• Formed in 1990

• Dedicated to the humane treatment of cats

• More than half a million supporters

• Over 15,000 requests for help annually

• Advise individuals, organizations, shelters and legislators

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Trap-Neuter-Return

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Why TNR?

• Beneficial for residents• Effective population

control• Good for individual cats

Find more information at alleycat.org/CaseForTNR

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Trap-Neuter-Return Across the Country

Available at alleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

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TNR Across the Country

Elizabeth Holtz, JD “Trap-Neuter-Return Ordinances and Policies in the United States: The Future of Animal Control,” Law & Policy Brief (Bethesda, MD: Alley Cat Allies, January 2013).

2003

Available at alleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

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TNR Across the Country

Just ten years later, support has increased ten-fold!

2013

Available at alleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

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Trap-Neuter-Return Ordinances Across Texas

2003 2013

In ten years, support has increased almost thirty-fold!

Available at alleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

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Texas Communities with TNR Ordinances – 32 and Counting

• Arlington* (passed in 2013)

• Alamo Heights• Angleton• Bulverde• College Station• Dallas • Denton• Edinburg• Fort Worth

• Fredericksburg• Garland• Houston• Joshua• Killeen• Krum• Leander• Llano• Lubbock• Marble Falls• Nacogdoches• Pilot Point

• Plano• Port Arthur• Rancho Viejo• Richmond• Round Rock• San Antonio• San Saba• Taylor• Wichita Falls• Windcrest• Waco*

(passed in 2013)

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Trap-Neuter-Return in Your Community

Understand existing laws and ordinances

• ACOs and other officials sometimes wrongly believe that TNR is illegal under the current ordinance

• Reach out to Alley Cat Allies or another trusted organization if you are unsure about what your law states

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Is an Ordinance Necessary?

You don’t need a TNR ordinance to do TNR!

Drawbacks of TNR ordinances:• Laws can create restrictions and

regulations (like mandatory registration) that didn’t exist before

San Francisco has had a TNR program since 1993 yet neverpassed an ordinance

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Is an Ordinance Necessary?

When should you consider an ordinance?• Harassment from ACOs• Colony safety at risk

Benefits of Ordinances• Forces government entities

(animal control officers, shelters)to act a certain way

• Ensures positive policies remain in place even when administrations change

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Model Ordinances Guide

See page 6 of TNR white paper for model languagealleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

Most important elements:• Define eartip, feral cat, and TNR• Eartipped cats received by shelters or

animal control must be returned to trapping location

• Trapped eartipped cats should be immediately released unless veterinary care is required

• Feral cats received by shelters should be diverted to TNR program

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Model Ordinances Guide

See page 6 of TNR white paper for model languagealleycat.org/TheFutureOfAnimalControl

Protections for caregivers• Define owner to exclude feral cat

caregiver• Allow caregivers to reclaim impounded

feral cats• Clarify that TNR is not abandonment

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Ordinances – Less is More

Washington DC Ordinance:

Animal control “shall promote (1) the reduction of euthanasia of animals for which medical treatment or adoption is possible; and (2) the utilization of trap, spay or neuter, and return practices as a means of controlling the feral cat population.”

Find more resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Model Language in Texas

Arlington, Texas“A resolution authorizing and approving the community cat initiative Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program whereby nonprofit organizations help manage feral cats…

“That the community cat sponsoring organizations have agreed to publicize information about the Trap-Neuter-Return program, provide a single point of contact for Arlington Animal Services and will attempt to notify the appropriate sponsoring organization when notified by Animal Services about an impounded TNR designated cat. Animal Services will notify the single point of contact about any apparent feral cat colonies inorder that the sponsoring organizations can take action to limit anynuisances caused by feral cats.”

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Influencing the Legislative Process

• Send personalized emails or letters to legislators

• Schedule a face to face meeting

• Testify at a council meeting

• Submit a written comment

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Making the Case to Legislators

• Prepare with an outline

• Use statistics and scientific studies

• Fact Sheets

• Appeal to legislators’ financial concerns

Find resources at alleycat.org/AdvocacyToolkit

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Community Outreach

• Network with other compassionate citizens:Feral Friends Network, www.alleycat.org/FeralFriends

• Create your own organization

• Send action alerts

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Sample Postcard

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Media

• Be prepared talking points

• Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor

• Check out Alley Cat Allies’ Guide to Working with the Media:alleycat.org/PublicityGuide

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Learn more at www.alleycat.org

QUESTIONS?