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Everyone’s a Winner in Vegas

February 13, 2009, 3:37PM MT

By Jennifer S Hayes

Especially the community cats, thanks to implementation of new Clark County ordinance

Especially the community cats, thanks to implementation of new Clark County ordinance

By Cathy Scott, Best Friends staff writer

The recent return of two feral cats from the Clark County shelter to their original colonies was a historic occasion. It marked the first community cats to be released under the county’s new ordinance, which now makes it legal in the Las Vegas valley to trap, neuter and return – or TNR – feral cats.

It also makes Nevada one of the nearly 40 states that include TNR language in laws intended to protect community cats.

The young shelter cats were handed over to representatives with Spay Our Strays, or S.O.S. - an animal rescue association - who, in turn, after they were neutered, returned the cats to their communities.

It was such a momentous occasion that those who returned the cats marked the exact time – 1:32 p.m. on January 15 – the cats were back living in their respective colonies.

According to the county’s website, the program’s goal is to “reduce the number of feral, abandoned and unwanted cats” through the management of feral cat colonies. Officials estimate more than 200,000 cats roam free in Clark County.

The measure, passed by county commissioners in October 2008, paved the way for protecting homeless cats who would otherwise have been put down – a true testament to the goal of No More Homeless Pets.

Those who helped from the sidelines to make this happen could not be happier.

“Cases like this one help other government agencies see the benefit of working with non-profit to make a difference for the big picture,” says Shelly Kotter, Best Friends’ feral cat program manager. “This is big for the TNR movement.”

Gregory Castle, a Best Friends co-founder who was in contact with county officials as the measure’s language was being drawn up, agreed.

“It feels great that this ordinance passed,” he says. “It is certainly good to see municipalities acknowledging the viability of TNR as a way of controlling their community cat colonies.”

Moreover, Castle says, the ordinance carves out a way for community cat caregivers to register colonies while at the same time working hand-in-hand with animal control agencies to save the cats.

In other words, he says, it’s a win-win situation for all – especially the cats.

? To register your colony online, go to the Clark County Feral Cats website.
Any questions, e-mail info@clarkcountyferalcats.org or call 702-400-6390

? Join the Feral Cat Campaign on the Best Friends Network for more about how you can help in your own community.

For more information:
• It Passed!
• Feral Cat Resources

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Clay Myers, Best Friends photographer

Comments

Posted February 25, 2009, 3:37AM by feralcats

TNR is the only humane solution for feral cats. Their numbers will gradually diminish thru attrition and they will be able to live out their lives instead of being killed at a shelter. No more kittens will be born. If everyone would get their pets cats fixed too, then eventually there would be very few abandoned feral cats outside. Thank you Las Vegas and Happy Spay Day.

Posted February 21, 2009, 8:6PM by ahughes798

As a person who has adopted 6 feral cats, who are now indoor only cats.....

TNR cats cause a lot of environmental damage. They are still free to kill native birds and small mammals in appaling numbers. This is NOT good.

Posted February 14, 2009, 2:15PM by marys

Way to go Clark County!!!! Yeah!!

Posted February 15, 2009, 10:20PM by mxipp

This is great! I hope LV shares its experience and expertise in caring for these kitty colonies with the rest of the state.

Posted February 18, 2009, 8:33PM by georgebailey47

This ordinance makes Las Vegas far richer than any casino ever could!

Way to go Las Vegas!!

Posted February 20, 2009, 2:25AM by mschneider

Thanks to County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani for helping get this passed!

Posted February 17, 2009, 12:56PM by bear1

This is a great step! How great would it be to see other counties following in Clark Counties footsteps. Yay for the kitties!

Posted February 19, 2009, 7:50PM by dhall5

That is AWESOME! I currently volunteer/foster for Homeward Bound Cat Adoptions here in Las Vegas, and we work with SOS. Last Thanksgiving I was given 5 siblings who were trapped (their feral mother has since been trapped, spayed, and returned and is doing well; i.e. "TNR") by SOS (George), to socialize, foster, and prepare for permanent homes. Homeward Bound has found homes for 2, and the 3 that remain are doing great, and are so loving and dear. I can't imagine if they'd ended up in a shelter, or worse yet, killed because they were feral (or headed in that direction).

It's nice to see that Clark County is FINALLY becoming animal-friendly!!!

Posted February 19, 2009, 6:43PM by Pogonip

We've been doing this in Washoe County (Reno-Sparks) for years. Glad to see Las Vegas is starting to catch up.

Posted February 19, 2009, 8:44PM by jmuhj

I've never had much of an affinity for Lost Wages -- until now, that is. BRAVO, Clark County and big props to Best Friends! Keep it up, all!

Posted February 14, 2009, 12:43PM by dogcatlover

This was very nice to hear. Congratulations! It is such a win-win for the cats of Clark County & a fine example of how other locations can do it.

Thank you for helping make it possible.

Posted February 19, 2009, 9:49PM by scratchtopaz

Such fantastic mews! Yeah - Viva Las Vegas!

Posted February 24, 2009, 12:43AM by dan959

I agree with "ahughes798" on the subject of cats cause a lot of environmental damage. I have a cat from the local shelter and love her very much but I also love wild birds, lizards, snakes, desert turtles and all the other creatures that give our planet biodiversity.
Let's say 200,000 cats get lucky every other day and kill some food, that's approx. 36,000,000 animals every year that had a life. With all the human destruction being done to the native fauna, many specie won't survive this new non-native threat. We have to learn to look at the whole problem not just a small segment of it.

Posted March 12, 2009, 9:3PM by Pogonip

The feral cats I feed and look after think the birds are fascinating -- but much too much trouble to chase. My feral cats are well fed -- as are the raccoons that come at night to clean out the leftover cat food. So, I don't buy it that feral cats are doing the local wildlife any damage. Not here.

Oh, I feed the birds, too.

Posted March 01, 2009, 1:45PM by catmominme

Give me a break! Cats and Environmental damage!?!

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.... we HUMANS are more guilty than any creature on this planet for Environmental Damage! The trauma that we do to this planet is a tragedy and I am sad that I currently own a car and contribute to it myself. Plus the chemicals we use, the paper we waste, the rainforests we deplete (which add significantly to killing off species)....the list has no end.

So now lets lay off of cats and look to ourselves before we kill off more creatures!