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Trap, Neuter, Return rejected by Lanier Army Corps
Cumming, GA (May 4, 2010) – The Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of Forsyth County announced today that they will no longer work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to relocate feral cats from West Bank Park at Lake Lanier after the Corps refused to consider a trap, neuter, return (TNR) plan for the remaining cats. "Volunteers and employees from both the Humane Society of Forsyth County and the Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have worked tirelessly for three weeks, in conjunction with Forsyth County Animal Control, to trap and relocate 30 cats and kittens from West Bank Park, with the understanding that the Corps of Engineers would consider a trap, neuter and return (TNR) program to permanently reduce the population of cats in the park. We were extremely disappointed that our proposal to implement TNR as an effective, humane solution to control the cat population in the park was rejected by Corps of Engineers representative Chris Lovelady, on Thursday. Despite the successful use of TNR in other communities in Georgia and around the country, the Corps is steadfast in the misguided belief that they can completely eliminate the cats from the park," said Jill Gooch, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Forsyth County.
Gooch went on to note that the Humane Society of Forsyth County and the Georgia SPCA offered to implement a TNR program at no cost to the Corps of Engineers or Forsyth County taxpayers for the estimated 15 cats and kittens left in the park, but Mr. Lovelady responded that the Corps’ goal was to eradicate all of the cats from the park. The Corps will be working with Forsyth County Animal Control to start trapping again as early as Monday, May 3. Cats and kittens trapped by Forsyth County Animal Control will likely be killed when not claimed, and kittens left behind when their mothers are trapped will die slowly of starvation and dehydration. Louise Galaska of the Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals noted, "This is kitten season and we know that there is at least one pregnant cat in the park right now. If she delivers those kittens and is then trapped and killed, her kittens will suffer tremendously before they die themselves."
Said Ms. Galaska, "The goal of permanently eliminating cats from West Bank Park is completely unrealistic. One of Mr. Lovelady's own rangers noted that he has seen cats coming into the park from a nearby subdivision. A well-run TNR program will help limit the number of cats in the park, and in the community, by periodically trapping and spaying or neutering cats found in the park, at no cost to the taxpayers. These cats will also be vaccinated against rabies, which is more than can be said for other wildlife in the park, such as raccoons, skunks and foxes, which in Georgia are far more likely to test positive for rabies than cats are."
The humane organizations are grateful for the support and assistance they received from many local animal welfare organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, Feral Cat Program of Georgia, FurKids, SOS Club, The Backyard Sanctuary, Good Mews, Companion Animal Rescue League, and Altered Feral States, from Lanier Animal Hospital, Sugar Creek Animal Hospital, Pet Vet, and Steeplechase Animal Hospital and from many volunteers and animal welfare advocates.
Photos available upon request.
Louise Galaska, Board of Directors
Georgia SPCA
Jill Gooch, Executive Director
Humane Society of Forsyth County |
