The Cheyenne Animal Shelter’s Community Cat Program is expanding its efforts to manage the city’s free-roaming cat population. This initiative offers low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and resources for community cat caretakers. The program aims to increase the number of vaccinated and spayed or neutered cats, ultimately reducing the number of cats entering the shelter each year. (cheyenneanimalshelter.org)
The program’s vision includes providing low-cost or free spay/neuter procedures and vaccine services for community cats, influencing public policy in support of community cat population dynamics, educating the public through various initiatives, and disseminating resources for individuals interested in becoming community cat caretakers or who are interested in the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) process. (cheyenneanimalshelter.org)
Community cats are free-ranging, loosely owned cats that spend most of their time outside. They can be adults or kittens, healthy or sick, neutered or not, and may or may not be friendly to humans. The TNR process involves humanely trapping community cats, bringing them to an animal shelter or veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped, and then returning them to their outdoor home. An ear tip is a universally recognized symbol of a community cat who has been spayed or neutered. (cheyenneanimalshelter.org)
The Cheyenne Animal Shelter is collaborating with the City of Cheyenne to update public policy to support community cat population dynamics. Revisions to the Title 6 policy are being suggested to allow community cats that are returned to a location within one-half mile of their original home location after a spay or neuter procedure or a rabies vaccination to not be considered abandoned animals. This revision still allows for the enforcement of true abandonment of animals while allowing community cats to return to the homes they have thrived in all their lives. (cheyenneanimalshelter.org)
The shelter encourages community members to support the Community Cat Program through donations, volunteering, and spreading the word. Monetary donations help provide care for pets and increase what the shelter can provide to the community. Volunteering time to assist with the Community Cat efforts is also a great way to show support. Spreading the word about this program and encouraging neighbors to take care of community cats can also make a significant impact. (cheyenneanimalshelter.org)
By expanding the Community Cat Program and collaborating with the city to update policies, the Cheyenne Animal Shelter is taking proactive steps to address the challenges posed by free-roaming cats in the community.
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