Government
BY RACHEL LELAND
Residents raise concerns about League City animal center’s cat program
Cat outcomes Here’s how cats were processed at League City Animal Care and Adoption Center in July.
Following criticism from citizens and volunteers, League City Animal Care and Adoption Center o cials paused the shelter’s trap, neuter and return program, also known as TNR, on Aug. 20 to assess how the shelter releases “community cats.” The big picture TNR traps, sterilizes, vaccinates for rabies and returns community cats near their original location, according to League City’s animal ordinances. “Community cat” is an umbrella term describing feral and friendly stray cats. Concerned residents voiced their concerns at City Council meetings that many of the cats being released as community cats should instead be put up for adoption. Monica Millican, the president of the nonpro t League City Pets Alive, who began volunteering at the shelter in 2007, said volunteers were irritated by the fact the shelter was “nowhere near full,” yet friendly cats were still being released. To bring the community into the animal shelter’s decision-making processes, League City o cials cre- ated a webpage, www.leaguecitylistens.com/cats. Residents can participate in a survey about the community cats program, nd policy resources and ask questions about the program. “We love the feedback, and we love to be able to get more information on what the community really wants and what they see for it, and we’ll go from there,” Animal Services Manager Jasmine O’Keefe said.
Adopted 132 Fostered 42 Released through TNR 7 Euthanized 5 Returned to owner 1 Died 1
Total 188
SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL CARE AND ADOPTION CENTER COMMUNITY IMPACT
The conditions In early August, League City o cials hired American Pets Alive, the national arm of Austin Pets Alive, the no-kill shelter largely responsible for advocating for Austin to become a “no-kill” city, to conduct an independent third-party audit of the shelter’s TNR program. Mara Hartsell, the American Pets Alive shelter support adviser who is conducting the audit of the shelter’s TNR policies, estimated eight out of 10 cats the shelter takes in are processed through the adoption program. What else? While those who expressed concern about the shelter’s TNR program said they are happy that the program is paused, O’Keefe said she feels the
League City Animal Care and Adoption Center o cials have paused the trap, neuter and return program.
RACHEL LELAND COMMUNITY IMPACT
pause has placed stress on the shelter and made it more di cult for sta to take care of each individ- ual animal due to capacity issues. “One [issue] is the increase in medical, due to cost and time,” O’Keefe said. Since TNR has been paused and the shelter does not euthanize for space, to move nonadoptable cats out of the shelter, sta has been delivering cats to farms and o ces to kill mice through its working cat program. What happens next? Hartsell said she expects to complete her audit before the end of the year.
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