Saturday, September 23, 2006
PLEASE SPAY & NEUTER YOUR CATS!!
Our efforts are working. We hear from people across the country about the progress they’re making with feral cats in their areas. Trap, Neuter, and Return is making a very real difference for feral cats in communities just like yours. Below are some tips to help you help the cats.
Tip #1 Learn who your city council members are. You can do this by searching for your city government website on the internet. If your city does not have a website, look in your local white pages and call the city clerk's office. Make sure to get their full name, mailing address, and phone numbers (and e-mail if they have one listed). Take the time to introduce yourself to your city council members and start a line of communication with them. See more information about changing your community.
Tip #2 Start your own Trap, Neuter, and Return group! Alley Cat Allies has broken down the steps necessary for you to create your own organization dedicated to bettering the lives of outdoor cats through a Trap, Neuter, and Return program. If you are interested in creating a new clinic in your area, click here.
Tip #3 Feel like you are all alone in your town and trying to single-handedly help the outdoor cats yourself? Don’t. Organize! Getting the word out about your work will help encourage and inspire others to help you in your mission. Educate other people by holding a class about Trap, Neuter, and Return at your local library. Tell people about the steps involved in the process, and make sure to get everyone’s name so you can contact them to help you in the future. For more about how to change your community by organizing, download this PDF.
Tip #4 Are you thinking about talking to your local animal control officer about Trap, Neuter, and Return? Set up an appointment with him or her and bring some goodies. These officers are the people who you will need to work with in order to seek change in your community. If you are worried about what to say, download this PDF to learn how to best get the message across to your local officers.
Tip #5 Trap, neuter, and return works! Wondering who else in the animal protection movement has a position on Trap, Neuter, and Return? Click here to read other organization’s perspectives. Using the perspectives of the other nationally respected organizations that support the humane method of outdoor cat population management may help you change the minds of important figures in your community.
Tip #6 Are people asking you for hard facts, and are you having a difficult time answering their questions about Trap, Neuter, and Return? With some time and a little research, you can be fully prepared for those questions. Alley Cat Allies has compiled many scientific studies and posted them and discussions about them online. You can check out our past newsletter articles or read some scientific studies.
Tip #7 Stand out in the crowd! Wear an orange ribbon, and encourage your supporters to do the same. This is an effective method of showing your support when attending a town hall meeting. Council representatives often want to know how many in the crowd support the issue in front of them. Make sure to have your speaker, if you are allowed to give a presentation, point out that all the people in the audience wearing an orange ribbon want Trap, Neuter, and Return in your community. Click here to order your own orange ribbons.
Tip #8 Is your town considering new animal ordinances, or do they have ordinances that aren’t benefiting animals? Unsure? Click here to learn how licensing cats and leash laws make life for outdoor cats much harder and certainly more dangerous. Learn how to organize and fight these antiquated laws.
Tip #9 Work with the media. News reporters are not intimidating, and speaking to them should not cause you hot sweats. Take your cues from the politicians you see on TV — have a few talking points and repeat them over and over again. Just because the reporter asks you the question doesn’t mean you have to answer it in a straightforward way. Stay positive, smile for the camera, and tell truth. For more tips on working with the media — click here.
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