Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandouts_Workshop_Tab 02 _04/01/2013 (2) � Excetlente in Wi[dlife Stewardship Through Stience and Education Problems with Trap-Neuter-Release Trap-neuter-release, or TNR, is touted by some as a humane solution to the problems posed by feral cats (Felis catus). In this approach, cats are trapped in cage or box traps, marked with a clipped ear, sterilized, and then returned to a feral cat colony. While TNR promoters claim it will reduce cat populations, the science tells us that TNR puts wildlife in peril while failing to bring cat populations under control or address related health concerns. TNR is presented as a way to humanely stabilize and decrease cat populations. Many studies have found that TNR as a management tool fails to do so.',z,s,a,s,6 Its advocates describe cats as territorial animals that stay in their home range and keep new cats out. In fact, resident cats do not keep newcomers from feeding or joining the colony, and enough cats are dumped illegally or attracted to the food supply at TNR colonies to outweigh losses due to death or adoption.' A study on Catalina Island, California, monitored the movements of sterilized and intact cats from managed colonies, and found no difference in the range sizes of the two groups. Cats still moved away from the feeding stations into the more rugged adjacent lands, decreasing the feasibility of trapping all animals and increasing their ecological impact. �• � ±_;, , 1 > ,� A feral cat in poor health, trapped in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Photo Credit: David Blumig It appears that the majority of TNR cats are not vaccinated, creating a major public health concern. Jessup (2004) cites the actions of Maddie's fund, a pet rescue organization, which paid members of the California Association of Veterinary Medicine to neuter or spay feral cats, but did not require them to vaccinate or otherwise treat the cats. Ultimately, over 90,000 cats were released without rabies vaccinations 9 Managed cat colonies are often claimed to be the cheapest form of control for areas with feral cats. In Akron, Ohio, nearly 2,500 cats were trapped from public parks. Of these, appro�mately 500 were adopted while the remaining 2,000 feral, diseased, or injured cats were euthanized. The entire project cost less than $27,000. At the costs paid by Maddie's Fund in California ($50/neuter, $701spay), sterilizing just 500 cats would cost appro�mately $30,000, in addition to the costs of trapping, euthanasia for the sick or injured, and subsequent feeding of all the rest. Updated Feb. 2011 ��/� �� �� �-�-� �. � �� TNR supporters insist that removing cats will create a vacuum effect allowing even more cats to move into the area. Winter (2004) outlines several examples in which removal of cats and feeding stations eliminates or nearly eliminates local cat populations and is followed by the return of native bird species. According to TNR promoters, feral cat colonies also provide natural rodent control. However, one peer-reviewed study found that the house mouse (Mus musculus) was more common in parks with managed cat colonies, leading the authors to conclude that cats upset the balance of rodent populations and could lead to the expansion of house mice into previously unoccupied ranges.l l One claim is that humans, not cats, are the cause of declining bird populations, and focusing on cats distracts conservationists from the real problem. Certainly habitat loss and fragmentation have pushed birds and other native species to the brink, amplifying the effects of an invasive predator like the domestic cat, which can easily cause local extirpations of species with diminished ranges and populations. In fact, studies have found that cat-related mortalities among birds approach or exceed best estimates of the entire local bird population. Wildlife professionals and managers can and should address all legitimate threats to wildlife. TNR does not live up to the many promises its proponents make: it has been shown to fail at decreasing feral cat populations, protecting native wildlife, addressing public concerns, controlling pests, and reducing costs. Clearly, this misguided management tool should be uniformly rejected. ' Baker, P.J., S.E. Molony, E. Stone, I.C. Cuthill, and S. Harris. 2008. Cats about town: is predation by free-ranging pet cats Felis catus likely to affect urban bird populations? Ibis 150: 86-99. Z van Heezik, Y., A. Smyth, A. Adams, and J. Gordon. 2010. Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations? Biological Conservation 143: 121-130. 3 Andersen, M. C., B. J. Martin, and G. W. Roerner. 2004. Use of matrix population models to estimate the efficacy of euthanasia versus trap- neuter-return for management of free-roaming cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 225:1871-1876. 4 Barrows, P. L. 2004. Professional, ethical, and legal dilemmas of trap-neuter-release. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 225:1365-1369. 5 Castillo, D., and A. L. Clarke. 2003. Trap/neuter/release methods ineffecrive in controlling domestic cat "colonies" on public lands. Natural Areas Journa123:247-253. 6 Longcore, T., C. Rich, and L. M. Sullivan. 2009. Critical assessment of claims regarding management of feral cats by trap-neuter-return. Conservation Biology 23:887-894. ' Nutter, F. B. 2005. Evaluation of a trap-neuter-return management program for feral cat colonies: population dynamics, home ranges, and potentialiy zoonotic diseases. PhD dissertation, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC. 8 Roberto, P. 1995. Whose right to live? The cat rescue movement versus wildlife defenders. California Coast and Ocean. 1131-40. Available from: http:Hwww.df .g ca'gov/wildlife/nongame/nuis exo/dom cadcat.html 9 Winter 2004. Trap-neuter�release programs: the reality and the impacts. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 225(9): 1369-1376. lo Gutiila, D.A., and P. Stapp. 2010. Effects of sterilizarion on movements of feral cats at a wildland-urban interface. Journal of Mammalogy 91(2):482-489. " Hawkins CC, Grant WE, Longnecker MT. 1999. Effect of subsidized house cats on California birds and rodents. Transactions of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society 3529-33. 1z Segna D.L., R. Schamacher. 2002. Success of the California feral cat altering program. Proceedings.139th Annual Convention American Veterinary Medical Association. 2002; 690. 13 Winter 2004. Trap-neuter-release programs: the reality and the impacts. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 225(9): 1369-1376. Updated Feb. 2011 WLRN Miami FI -Feral Cats in Florida 8:01 am Mon April 1, 201 Feral Cats Bill Pits Animal Welfare Advocates Against Conservationalists By Tricia Woolfenden Animal welfare advocates are at odds with wildlife conservationalists as the Florida Senate prepares this week to look at a controversial feral cat bill. Introduced by minority deputy whip Darren Soto (D-Kissimmee), Senate Bill 1320 would make it easier for trap-neuter-release programs to operate in Florida without fear of running afoul of the law. A version in the House, House Bill 1121, has been making steady progress through various committees in the last month. ���,., �. �� , ��= # � Enlar eg ima� Credit Austin Evan / Flickr Creative Commons Feral cats are a contentious topic in Florida. The bill would remove any penalties associated with trapping, neutering, and re-releasing feral cats, or "community cats," into the wild, or the city/suburbs, as is often the case. It would allow "community cat caregivers" to provide food, water, and shelter for feral cats and give veterinarians leeway to participate in trap-neuter-release programs. According to the bill's text, a "community cat" is any outdoor, free-roaming feline without visible owner identification. Alley Cat Allies, one of the nation's lead supporters of trap-neuter-release programs, has praised the "lifesaving" programs protected by the bill and has said SB 1320 would "save countless cats' lives." Conservation groups like Audubon of Florida, Defenders of Wildlife, and Florida Wildlife Federation, meanwhile, oppose efforts to legitimize Florida's feral cat colonies, which they say are a threat to native Florida wildlife. Audubon of Florida writes, "While proponents assert this practice ultimately eliminates feral cat populations, peer-reviewed scientific research and case studies have not borne this out... Feral cat colonies often persist and grow with dire consequences." The group cites statistics from a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study that estimates domestic cats "kill a median of 2.4 billion birds and 123 billion mammals a year." Alley Cat Allies challenges those numbers and contends that humans remain the leading threat to all wildlife. They sav science proves feral cats are "opportunistic feeders" and would prefer to riffle through people's garbage cans than to hunt songbirds and other small animals. The "cat people" versus "bird people" face-off about feral cats is nothing new: A lively comment section from a 2011 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service �ost on the topic demonstrates it has been long in the making. That said, 2013 has been a particularly active year for debate, with plenty of news to fuel discussion. Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implemented the Final Integrated Pest Management Plan for Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges. A Nliami Herald story says the plan calls for the removal of feral cats in specified protected areas as a means to reduce predation of the Lower Keys marsh rabbit and Key Largo woodrat. Long-time environmental writer Ted Williams -- recently at the center of the feral cat debate -- was last week reinstated to his role as editor-at-large for Audubon ll�fagazine. Williams had been temporarily removed from the post after writing an Orlando Sentinel column that discussed using Tylenol to euthanize feral cats. Cat advocates called for Williams' dismissal, while environmentalists and journalists (for the most part) came to his support. Read more about the controversy here. Fort Lauderdale-based veterinarian and birder Brian Monk weighed in on the subject with a March 27 blog on the American Birding Association's website. Monk outlines the typical feral cat's "short and brutal" life which rarely comes to a"peaceful end." He writes that while "improving feline health in general, while keeping our precious wildlife safe, is a noble goal" it requires an "ignoble" approach. He says trap and euthanasia "is the only truly viable solution." Advocacy groups on both sides of the issue are calling on supporters to contact their representatives as the "community cat bill" works its way through the legislature. The bill is on the Senate Agriculture Committee agenda for 12:15 p.m. today (Monday, April 1). Open Mic: A Veterinarian°s Pespective on the Feral Cat Issue by ABA At the Mic: Brian Monk Brian Monk is a veter�inarian, birder, photogrczpher, and pro_ fessional orchid grower and lecturer. He received his DVMfr•om Virginia Tech in 1997 and currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Floirida, with his wife Mary-Margaret and his S rescued cats. Let me make myself perfectly clear: I love cats. I am a veterinarian, quite a few of my patients are cats, and I count five of them as my pets. I believe that cats have an inherent value to us, both as living things and as companions. I also love birds, and have been watching them before I was old enough to know what they were. Without question, birds also have inherent value, both to our planet and our hobby. My position as both a birder and a veterinarian lends me a unique perspective about the current controversy surrounding feral cats, and the various solutions offered up to address this issue. : .�.. recent study has determined that 1.4-3.7 billion birds are killed by feral cats per year, and its publication has pitted wildlife conservation groups against feline advocacy groups. The controversy centers around the most important question, "What is the solution to this problem of cat overpopulation?" The only thing that these two groups seem to agree on is that feral cat overpopulation exists. Feral cats lead short and brutal lives. Kittens suffer a 50-75% mortality rate. Disease is prevalent in feral cat populations, as expected. They are plagued with parasitism by various worms, arthropods, and protozoa; viral diseases like Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Herpes, Distemper, and Rabies; bacterial infections such as Toxoplasmosis, and Haemobartonellosis. Traumatic injury is common. Feral cats suffer attacks from dogs, other cats, and other wildlife. And they suffer from the inexplicable cruelty of some humans. Personally, I have seen cats poisoned (both inadvertently and inten#ionally), caught and tortured, shot (with arrows and bullets), and set on fire. Many feral cats are chronically malnourished. Regardless of the debilita.tion, feral cats far the most part receive no veterinary care for their illnesses, even in "managed" colonies, and suffer needlessly. Feral cats rarely live more than 6 years, and rarely die peaceful deaths. Rabies in feral cat colonies is a serious concern. Rabies is an untreatable and unifortnly fatal disease. Prophylatic preventative therapy is long, painful, and expensive. Though cats are not a primary carrier of the disease (like raccoons or bats), they are easily infected due to their interactions with other wildlife. And because cats are generally accepted, humans are easily exposed. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cats are the only species with an increasing frequency of rabies infection. Feline advocacy groups are in favor of continued tolerance of feral cats, citing the effectiveness of Trap-Neuter-Release programs (TNR) and managed colonies in reducing feral populations. Trap-Neuter-Release programs are intended to reduce cat populations by surgically sterilizing as many feral cats as can be caught. These cats are then released back into the environment. In some instances, the groups attempt to "manage" these feral populations by feeding cats in a specific area, the intention being to keep them from preying on other animals. This solution on its face has a certain moral palatability and logical origin. If all feral cats are prevented from reproducing, then eventually the population will be reduced to zero, and this can be accomplished without killing a cat. But the flaws in this thinking should be apparent. Not all cats can be captured, and these continue to reproduce. New individuals can enter the TNR area at will, and they will reproduce. And surgical sterilization does nothing to prevent continued predation on native wildlife. TNR can neither eliminate feral cats, nor reduce predation, and does not address illness or disease, facts supported by actual scientific study. Proponents of TNR ignore these facts. They downplay or deny outright the problems with rabies and other diseases. They counter that feral cats are a natural part of the ecosystem and play an important role in the biologic control of pest species, that the estimation of wildlife killed by cats is grossly exaggerated, and that conservation groups have more important things to worry about. They have provided no studies that refute the numbers of wildlife killed. The studies that they do refer to regarding the effectiveness of TNR are of limited scope, and often contradictory in their findings. All of these studies openly admit that TNR will not be effective at eliminating feral cat populations. What is not in dispute is that domestic cats are an invasive species, with a population of 60-70 million in North America. Derived from the desert-dwelling wild felines of northern Africa, and brought to this continent by European settlers, cats are exceptionally well adapted to a predatory lifestyle, having keen eyesight, acute hearing and sense of smell, incredible strength and speed, lethal weaponry, and an incredible rate of reproduction. Cats are beautiful, efficient, and almost-perfect predators. And they are an alien species, altering the landscape, and causing- environmental, agricultural, and economic harm. There is no other small cat native to North America similar to Felis sylvestris, and thus they have a huge and disproportionately damaging effect on wildlife. Cats have their own biology, ecology, and ethnology, and their behaviors directly impact the biome. There are 60-70 million feral cats in the North America. Feral cats draw their sustenance almost entirely from wildlife that they catch and kill. A cat will eat as often as possible, and must eat several times a week (at least) to survive. These are facts, undisputed by both sides. One shouldn't need to use statistics or years-long research to see how quickly the numbers of dead prey add up. Clearly, given the stated facts, feral cats must be completely removed from the environment, and by that I mean active extermination. From an ethical perspective, this may sound like a difficult thing to do, and I understand the visceral response concerning the outright extermination of an individual life. But only the complete elimination of feral cats will provide the solutions that both conservationists and feline advocates want. Disease, health problems, public safety, and environmental concerns are all addressed successfully by eliminating the feral feline population. I have considered all other possible solutions from the perspective of both a veterinarian and a conservationist, and they are either impractical or impossible. The removal and eradication of harmful invasive species has become an important part of most conservation plans, and is actually supported by federal, state, and local law. These laws mandate the protection of native wildlife, and as such require the active elimination or control of alien species. Laws currently exist that allotiv specifically for the control, prevention, and elimination of feral cat colonies, while protecting pet cats and their owners. Feline advocacy groups like Alley Cat Allies approach this situation without compromise. They use vague moral reasoning and use this to generate guilt in their audience, tearfully � pleading that no one needs to kill the poor, defenseless little kiriy-cats. Questions about the effectiveness of TNR and the health of feral cats are dismissed, or met with a furious, venomous, and illogicai character assassination. They state as loudly as possible that "cats are not a threat to wildlife" and scream that the science behind cat-predation studies is flawed, all without offering up any evidence to the contrary. Fingers are pointed to habitat loss, cell-phone towers, and anything else that might play a role in population or biodiversity loss, and admonishments handed out to the guilty conservationists. With these methods, they apply pressure the public to adopt TNR. Unfortunately, this has been effective at even the legislative level. A bill is currently being explored in the Florida legislature that would make the creation of feral cat colonies much easier, regardless of their effect on wildlife, disease, or property rights, and it has gained some traction, already receiving unanimous passage by the Florida House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee. They are essentially being treated as a naturally occurring wild species. This problem of feral cats is a difficult one. Although it is only a part of the greater question of avian conservation, it is obviously an important part. Further, it seems to be a part where real progress could be made, with benefits that are not so vague as biodiversity for biodiversity's sake. Improving feline health in general, while keeping our precious wildlife safe, is a noble goal, that we can only approach ignobly. Feral cats exist because of man's ego and carelessness. But TNR does not adequately address the issue. It does not ease feline suffering or eliminate feline predation on our wildlife to a point that is acceptable, to me as a veterinarian and a conservationist, or to anyone else who considers the facts. As difficult as it may be, the elimination of feral cats via Trap and Euthanasia is the only truly viable solution. EDITOR'S NOTE: We are aware that this subject prompts passionate responses and we welcome strong opinions about ideas, but we ask thcat commentors please stay courteous and refrain from personal attacks. Other�wise we will delete your comment and ask you to resubmit using more civil language. PETA Trap, Neuter, Return, and Monitor Programs for Feral �ats: Doing It Right here are millions of feral cats in the United States. Feral cat population control is a di�cult and emotional issue and has been a topic of heated debate for many years. PETA has in the past trapped, neutered, returned, and monitored feral cats (and still does, in favorable situations) but not without hesitation and serious concerns. Our experiences include countless incidents in which cats suffered and died horrible deaths because they were forced to fend for themselves outdoors, whether "managed" or not, and have led us to question whether these programs are truly in the cats' best interests. Homeless cats do not die of old age. Highly contagious diseases are common, as are infected puncture wounds, broken bones, urinary tract infections, brain damage, internal injuries, attacks by other animals or cruel humans, automobile accidents, and terrible living conditions like freezing or stifling temperatures, scrounging for food, and being considered a"nuisance," through no fault of their own. Moreover, free-roaming cats also terrorize and kill countless birds and other wildlife who are not equipped to deal with such predators. Having witnessed firsthand the gruesome things that can happen to feral cats and to the animals they prey on, PETA cannot in good conscience oppose euthanasia as a humane alternative to dealing with cat overpopulation. Each situation is different, but it is never acceptable—no matter how noble the intentions to fead cats without providing them with medical care, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering. Doing so would serve only to endanger the cats and perpetuate the overpopulation crisis and its tragic consequences: the needless deaths of millions of animals every year. If you've determined that you have the time and resources to manage a feral cat colony, and the cats are in a safe place, i.e., they are isolated from roads, people, and other animals and lacated in an area where they do not have access to wildlife and where the weather is temperate, please be sure to follow the following minimum guidelines. Guidelines for Managing a Feral Cat Colony The responsibilities of a feral cat colony caretaker include ensuring that all cats in the colony are humanely captured, sterilized, vaccinated against rabies, provided with a sanitary feeding station with fresh water and food, given access to shelter, treated for illnesses and injuries, and accepted by neighbors and landlords. A properly managed feral cat colony is healthy and sta.ble, i.e., no new kittens are born.