Star Prairie (WQOW) - Some call it a growing problem in
western Wisconsin:
the cat population.
One group
is taking steps to address overcrowding.
"Each state, each
county, each group needs to do their part with Trap Neuter Return in order to
get numbers down," said Tanya Borg.
Borg works with volunteers in a
group called CatTown Rescue. It is a division of the non-profit group Stray
Feral Rescue, which traps stray cats in order to spay or neuter them.
"Our humane society
has a high kill rate for the cats that come in to their shelter, and many of
them are kittens from the farm, feral and stray cats that are out in the
environment," Borg said.
Having too many stray
cats in one area presents a danger to the cats themselves and the people they
interact with.
"Rabies is a human
health issue, so vaccinating these cats for rabies is a very smart thing to do
as far as the community is concerned. And then there's the excess kittens,
which are not always healthy and happy. People sometimes find them in distress,
and it bothers them. They'd like to try and help with that," said Borg.
"We do give them a
rabies and distemper vaccine...a post-operative pain medication."
The group CatTown Rescue received a grant,
which helps cover the costs of performing the surgery. In three months, 56 cats
have been treated.
"It is endemic
across the country. And there are many, many places across the country have
instituted trap neuter return programs."
After the surgeries, the cats are
returned to the place where they were picked up originally. If you're
interested in learning more about similar programs in your area, contact your
local veterinarian or humane society.
