An Iowa town has conditionally backed off on its plan to pay a $5 bounty for feral cats and instead will consider a proposal offered by a coalition of animal welfare groups, including Best Friends, Alley Cat Allies and Friends to Felines.

Vance Trively, mayor of Randolph, agreed to meet with coalition representatives after mounting protests by animal welfare groups across the country, including Best Friends. The Animal Help team, through the Best Friends Network, began marshalling volunteers and resources, and coordinating with local groups.

The coalition will meet today in Omaha to draft the proposal, which will be discussed with the mayor, then presented at a special town council meeting in Randolph three days later. The plan is expected to include a trap/neuter/return/maintain component using a mobile clinic and Best Friends volunteers to trap the cats, perform spay/neuter surgeries and relocate any feral cats to safe, free-roaming colonies. Adoptable cats will be placed with rescue groups.

Source: Best Friends Animal Society

2 Comments

Melody said:

YEA!!!! Now that's the right thing to do! The problem won't go away just because you get rid of the cats! You have to have TNR maintenance programs to help fix the problem of overpopulation! SPAY & NEUTER!!!!!

March 17, 2008 9:03 AM

Rachel said:

CASTRATE YOUR PETS! But I totally think that dispatching the feral cats is totally appropriate, too. I do not think that trap, neuter and return is a better solution than culling the stray animals. Stray cats decimate songbird and small animal populations, and I really think that our native fauna should be given the priority when it comes to animal welfare. DEAD CATS DON'T KILL NATIVE WILDLIFE!

March 17, 2008 10:25 PM

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